hand-me-down

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat
1 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Two Fridays prior, I got home from my bar shift and opened up The Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app to find the Hand-Me-Down by Zack Gelnaw-Rubin at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2022. The idea reminded me of a drink that we had on the River Bar menu when I first started working there in March 2018 called the Allston Christmas as an allspice dram and bitters version of a Bee's Knees created by Haley Hamilton. The name refers to the September 1st local holiday (and a day or two before and after) where the student-rich part of Boston experiences a widespread moving day, so piles of free furniture, home goods, and more are left on the curb for folks to take. Given the used nature of those items, it matches the Hand-Me-Down's general theme.

Allston XMAS
• 2 oz Gin
• 3/4 oz Honey Syrup
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz Allspice Dram
• 2 dash Angostura Bitters
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

In the glass, the Hand-Me-Down donated a rye, almond, and allspice aroma to the nose. Next, a creamy lemon sip opened up into rye, nutty, and allspice flavors on the swallow with a chocolate finish.