cut your tape

1 1/2 oz Privateer White Rum
1/2 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
1/2 oz Joseph Cartron Dark Crème de Cacao
1/2 oz Briottet Crème de Cassis
1 dash Legendre Herbsaint

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a spritz of regular Herbsaint.Two Sundays ago, Andrea and I attended a performance of Mr. Swindle's Traveling Peculiarium down near the Harpoon Brewery. Our travels afterwards led us to No. 9 Park where we stopped in for a drink. The cocktail that I selected from the menu was the Cut Your Tape, and bartender Brad Weidman set off to make this two rum number. Once prepared, it welcomed the nose with cassis' berry and Herbsaint's anise aromas. Next, a dark berry sip sailed into rum, dark berry, chocolate, and anise flavors on the swallow. While the combination was rather delightful, it did tend towards the sweeter side as the cocktail warmed up.

harkness table

1 oz Christian Drouin Selection Calvados
1 oz Christian Drouin Pommeau di Normandie
1 oz Alessio Chinato Vermouth

Stir with ice, strain into a double Old Fashioned glass, and add ice cubes.
Two Mondays ago, I ventured down to No. 9 Park for an afternoon of education with the producer of Christian Drouin Calvados. After the talk, we were treated to Ted Gallagher of Steel & Rye making drinks. One of his recipes was the Harkness Table named after a teaching method where students sit in a large oval and discuss topics in an open-minded atmosphere with little teacher intervention. In the glass, the Harkness Table was like a Marconi Wireless with more fresh apple notes and a touch of quinine instead of the normal orange bitters.

vielle daiquiri

2 oz Clement Canne Bleue Rhum Agricole
3/8 oz Clement Creole Shrubb Orange Liqueur
3/8 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. Note that three non-juice ingredients were batched and briefly aged in a small barrel (24 hours).
Two Wednesdays ago, I headed to Park Street Station for a bar crawl with one drink procured from three esteemed Downtown Crossing establishments. I started slightly up the hill at No. 9 Park where I asked bartender Ryan Lotz for the Vielle Daiquiri from the menu. I regret not asking why the drink was called that; a vielle is a medieval stringed instrument, but perhaps it is reference to the Cognac descriptor "vieille" meaning old especially since some of the ingredients spent time in a small barrel.  Regardless, with all of the darker spice notes, it seemed perfect for the colder months akin to the Winter Daiquiri. In the glass, the Vielle Daiquiri shared nutmeg, lime, and grassy aromas. Next, orange and lime on the sip led into grassy and allspice flavors on the swallow.

bela vista

2 oz Old Overholt Rye
1 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
1/2 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a big ice cube. Garnish with a cherry.
Two Mondays ago, I stopped into No. 9 Park for a drink when bartenders Ryan Lotz and Gregg Guertin were at the stick. When I scanned the menu, I was curious about the Bela Vista for I wanted to see how banana liqueur would work with another amaro after it did so well with Campari in the Banana Boulevardier. In the glass, the Bela Vista shared a banana and cherry aroma that later displayed darker rye notes. Next, the malty and caramel sip fell aside to rye and cola notes on the swallow and banana and orange on the finish. Moreover, as the ice melted, the banana began to take a larger role in the flavor profile.

declaration

2 oz Plymouth Gin
1/2 oz Rare Wine Co. Boston Bual Madeira
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

The last drink I had at No. 9 Park was the Declaration concocted by No. 9 alumni Sam Olivari. When I mentioned that the drink structure reminded me of Brick & Mortar's Two Caravels which featured rum and sherry instead of gin and Madeira, bartender Ryan Lotz declared that they had that drink made for them with Madeira which influenced this creation. The comment also came about as I listed the places besides Loyal Nine that utilize Madeira in their menus, and Brick & Mortar featured a Malmsey Madeira recipe with their Red Duster Swizzle.
The Declaration began with a clove aroma from the bitters that preceded the dry lemon and grape sip. The swallow contained much of the complexity with juniper, citrus, apricot, and clove notes.

sherry painkiller

1 oz Lustau Amontillado Sherry
1/2 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/2 oz Lemon Hart 151 Proof Rum
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Coconut Cream

Shake with ice and strain into a snifter glass. Fill with crushed ice, float 1/4 oz Hamilton's Black Strap Rum, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. Add a paper parasol and a straw.

The second drink that Andrea had at No. 9 Park was a Sherry Painkiller. I do not recall whether it was on a menu or whether bartender Ryan Lotz suggested it to her after describing to me the process by which the bar makes their coconut cream. Since sherry has worked well in Mai Tais and Jungle Birds, it had to be rather tasty in a Painkiller. True, Pusser's Rum's lawyers would declare that this is no Painkiller, but the original recipe pre-dates their rum brand usurping the name and changing the rum identities in the recipe.
The Sherry Painkiller's nutmeg added a pleasant woody spice note over the funky black strap rum aroma. Next, the sip was creamy with a hint of orange and pineapple, and the swallow was an enticing medley of nutty sherry and dark rum.

'i'iwi bird

2 oz Privateer Tiki Gin
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
The drink that I began with at No. 9 Park was the 'I'iwi Bird which bartender Ryan Lotz described as Jenna Rycroft's tribute to one of the more recognizable birds in Hawaii, the brightly colored honeycreeper. The ingredients list and name reminded me somewhat of a Jungle Bird and variations thereof, so I was definitely intrigued. In the glass, the 'I'iwi Bird shared passion fruit aromas colored by the Aperol notes. Next, a fruit punchy and lime sip transitioned into gin, passion fruit, and a slightly bitter tinge from the Aperol on the swallow. Without the pineapple, the 'I'iwi Bird definitely had a different feel from the Jungle Bird family and reminded me more of a passion fruit Of Shoes and Ships.

kafka does jalisco

1 oz Pueble Viejo Blanco Tequila
1 oz Becherovka
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
Two Wednesdays ago, Andrea and I ventured over to No. 9 Park for cocktails after getting dinner in Chinatown. For a first drink, Andrea requested from bartender Ryan Lotz the Kafka Does Jalisco. This drink seemed like an agave take on Eastern Standard's Metamorphosis with the citrus switched from lemon to lime; moreover, Ryan attributed himself and bartender Jenna Rycroft as the creators. The Kafka Does Jalisco gave forth a mineral agave and cinnamon and clove spice bouquet to the nose. A honey and lime sip then transitioned into a tequila, clove, and cinnamon swallow.

riviera di ponente

1 1/2 oz Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum
1/2 oz Lemonhart 151 Rum
1/2 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
1/2 oz St. Elder Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
6 drop Absinthe
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a tulip glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a paper umbrella, cherry, lime wheel, and mint sprigs, and add a straw.
I continued on with the Italian Tiki theme at No. 9 Park with the Riviera di Ponente. Bar manager Ryan Lotz explained that this was the first drink that he had on the menu and that previous bar manager Ted Kilpatrick had named it. Once prepared, the drink's garnishes contributed lime and mint notes. The lime continued on into the sip where it mingled with the caramel notes from the two rums and the amaro. Most of the rum notes came out in the swallow though along with cinnamon, floral, and spice flavors. Over time as the ice melted, the cinnamon notes decreased and the elderflower ones took a bit more dominance in the balance.

amaro di cocco

1 oz Appleton 12 Year Rum
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Coconut Cream

Shake with ice and strain into a white wine glass. Fill with crushed ice, float 1/4 oz Hamilton's Jamaican Blackstrap Rum, and add straws.

The Thursday before Negroni Week began, I stopped into No. 9 Park and found a seat in front of bartender Ryan Lotz. Ryan mentioned that he had a fresh housemade coconut cream, but that did not fully pique my interest until he continued on to say that it was in their Negroni Week special!? Ryan merged a Kingston or rum Negroni with a Piña Colada, and I could not say no to that concept. It also reminded me greatly of a Jungle Bird with the addition of vermouth and coconut. However, it lacked a name at the time though and Piña Negrada was my favorite with Noce di Cocco being where the house was leaning; when the menu launched though, it appeared as Amaro di Cocco.
On the nose, the blackstrap molasses and funky Jamaican rum notes joined hints of pineapple. The thick sip gave forth caramel, coconut, and pineapple flavors, and this led into the rum, Campari, and pineapple swallow.

echo lake

1 oz Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal
1 oz Green Chartreuse
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice. Strain into a coupe glass.
The other drink I asked bartender Sam Oliveri for at No. 9 Park was the Echo Lake which reminded me of the Green Ghost. It had been months since I had seen a tempting egg white drink on a menu, so I was definitely game. Once strained into a coupe, the Echo Lake shared a smoke aroma with Green Chartreuse's herbal accents. On the palate, a creamy smooth lime sip gave way to a softened mezcal and Chartreuse on the swallow with an orange finish.

torino retiree

1 oz Tanqueray 10 Gin
3/4 oz Gran Classico
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
2 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with 2-3 oz Fever Tree soda water and garnish with an orange twist.

Two Thursdays ago, I stopped into No. 9 Park where Sam Oliveri and Bob Mersereau were at the stick. No. 9 Park is one of the several restaurants in town that have a secondary cocktail menu; here, the first one is a dozen or so drinks and the other is a multi-page book organized by drink themes. In the Ethereal section, I spied the refreshing looking Torino Retiree which seemed like a good start since the other drink I wanted was a bit heavier. Sam explained that it was his drink that he made as an "Italian patio pounder" for he tried to envision what old men would drink on the Riviera.
The Torino Retiree shared an orange oil aroma from the twist. A carbonated sip shared orange flavors from the curaçao, Cocchi Americano, and bitters, and the swallow offered herbal notes from the gin and Gran Classico ending with a dry finish. Overall, it was a delightful abstraction of a Negroni-Americano hybrid.

[bezzera]

3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Cocchi Barolo Chinato
3/4 oz Ransom Old Tom (usually Wireworks Gin)
1/2 oz Coffee Rustico Syrup (1:1)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

The better demonstration of how well coffee and Campari required a short wait as Tyler fetched some freshly brewed coffee, added sugar, and made a syrup. For a coffee, he selected Counter Culture's Rustico which is an espresso roast-level bean. He originally crafted this drink with Wireworks Gin with which he also made the Purple Princess, but in its temporary absence at the bar, he opted for Ransom's Old Tom. Tyler did not have a name for the drink yet, so in the meantime, I am dubbing it the Bezzera after the man who in 1901 filed the first patent for an espresso machine.
The drink greeted my nose with a grape and orange oil aroma. The grape continued on into the sip where it mingled with the coffee's roast notes; the roast notes then flowed into the swallow where it paired with the gin and Campari herbal elements.

[la perla de oaxaca]

1 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
1 oz Campari
1 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 Whole Egg

Shake once without ice and once with ice. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with freshly grated coffee bean.
After my foray at Blue Dragon, I made my way over to No. 9 Park for a nightcap or two. There, I spoke with bartender Tyler Wang about the barista-bartender event that he helped to put together, and we began to talk about the other coffee-spirit combinations that he fell in love with. One in particular was coffee and Campari which he showcased first with the aroma of coffee and second with a coffee syrup. In the first instance, he crafted a Flip that began with a coffee aroma from the grated coffee bean garnish. On the tongue, a creamy caramel sip led into a smoky swallow that shared the Campari flavors and the Cynar's earthy bitterness.

purple princess

1 1/2 oz Wireworks Aged Gin
1 1/2 oz El Puente Coffee (chilled) (*)
3/4 oz Crème Yvette
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc
1 dash Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.
(*) 44 grams coffee beans ground and steeped in 24 oz hot water.
Two Sundays ago, I attended the Bartender-Barista Exchange event at Backbar in Somerville. The idea started out of bartender Tyler Wang's passion for coffee and his discussions with various coffee professionals at the Counter Culture Coffee Boston Training Center located a few blocks from Backbar. Since Tyler saw so many parallels between the bartender and barista crafts, he wanted to unite the two trades for a friendly competition. No, not bartenders versus baristas, but pairings so that they could work together and teach each other about their professions. Tyler found that the most famous Coffee Cocktail did not even contain coffee, and the most frequently ordered ones that did, such as the Irish Coffee and Espresso Martini, were not all that notable. Therefore, he hoped that the bartender-barista teams could begin to change all that.
My favorite of the competition was conjured up by No. 9 Park's Tyler Wang and Pavement Coffee House's Wolfie Barn. While the other libations were excellent as well, they felt much more like coffee that was flavored with booze instead of my personal preference of integrating the brew into a cocktail-like drink. The coffee that the pair settled on was El Puente; with its plum and lavender notes, it has been nicknamed the Purple Princess. To match the fruit and floral notes in the drink, they paired the coffee with Crème Yvette. Moreover, Tyler likes to pair coffee with gin more so than rum, and he found that the Wirework's light floral notes worked rather well here. Once mixed, the Purple Princess shared floral and roast aromas. The sip then offered a creaminess along with light roast, floral, and berry flavors. Finally, the swallow began with juniper and violet notes and ended with lingering roast and clove elements.

inventor

2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
1/4 oz Peychaud's Bitters
1/4 oz Kübler Absinthe
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 Whole Egg

Shake once without ice and once with ice, and strain into a rocks glass. I later asked for a lemon peel to be twisted over the top.

A few Saturdays ago, I popped into No. 9 Park for a nightcap. For a drink, bartender Ted Kilpatrick suggested the Inventor, a Cognac Sazerac Flip of sorts created by Tyler Wang. Ted forewarned me that the Flip has the color of Strawberry Quik due to the egg and Peychaud's Bitters.
Without the lemon oil, the Inventor presented a Cognac and anise aroma. A creamy sip then led into a Cognac swallow that finished with the absinthe and Peychaud's Bitters finish. After I requested the twist, the nose was dominated by the lemon and surprisingly the swallow seemed earthier.

electrical storm julep

2 oz Bols Genever
3/4 oz Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao

Muddle the leaves from a mint sprig at the bottom of a Julep cup. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and a float of 1/4 oz Gantous & Abou Raad Arak. A straw was later added upon request.

For my next drink at No. 9 Park, I asked bartender Tyler Wang for the Electrical Storm Julep. The Julep was another creation of bar manager Ted Kilpatrick, and similarly, I was not surprised that he had crafted it since Ted has made some quirky yet elegant Juleps before such as the Julep en Fuego. I am not sure whether the name is a reference to the cloudy louching effect from the arak or whether Ted suggests drinking these during summer thunder storms.
The Electrical Storm Julep proffered a mint and anise bouquet. A malty sip shared a slightly citrussy note, and the swallow showcased the funky Jamaican rum, herbal notes from the mint and Genever, and cacao flavors from the liqueur.

bleeding fog swizzle

1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
1/2 oz House Swedish Punsch
3/4 oz El Maestro Sierra Pedro Ximenez Sherry
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 barspoon Kübler Absinthe

Build in a goblet glass, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill. Garnish with two dash Peychaud's Bitters and add a straw.

Two Sundays ago, Andrea and I headed down to No. 9 Park for drinks. For a first libation, I asked bartender Tyler Wang for the Bleeding Fog Swizzle from their new cocktail menu. Tyler described how it was bar manager Ted Kilpatrick's smoky riff on a Fog Cutter. And it was actually Ted who made me my first Fog Cutter two years ago, so his fascination with the drink did not surprise me.
The anise aroma from the floated Peychaud's Bitters and the absinthe in the mix greeted the nose. Next, a grape and lemon sip was followed by a mezcal and absinthe swallow with lingering smoke notes. Overall, it was quite an abstraction of the Fog Cutter, and a tasty one at that.

dove & daisy

1 1/2 oz Milagro Silver Tequila
1 oz Combier Orange Liqueur
1/2 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3 inch swath Grapefruit Peel

Shake with ice and strain into a salt-rimmed Collins glass filled with ice. Top with ~2 oz soda water and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
The final drink that I had at No. 9 Park was Tyler Wang's Dove & Daisy. Tyler described it as a combination of a Paloma and a Margarita which are the Spanish words for dove and daisy, respectively. Once mixed, the grapefruit twist aroma mingled with the tequila notes on the nose. A carbonated orange, lime, and Aperol sip gave an almost grapefruit-like taste, and the tequila rounded out the swallow.

diversionary dam

1 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1 oz Angostura Bitters
1 oz Lime Juice
1 barspoon Kübler Absinthe

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

After my first drink at No. 9 Park, bartender Ted Kilpatrick swooped in from working the floor to make me my second drink, the Diversionary Dam. The recipe was created in honor of two regulars, Noah and Liz, who served as Ted's safe distraction during the craziness of Restaurant Week one night. When I heard the recipe, it seemed like Ted had merged the Silent Order with an Angostura-heavy drink like the Stormy Mai Tai.
Once mixed, its frothy redness attracted the attention of a woman a few seats down who declared that she wanted one. Considering that she asked for a Cosmo for her first round, her boyfriend, the barstaff, and I all deterred her from thinking this was something cute and fruity. Instead, the Diversionary Dam greeted the nose with an herbal Green Chartreuse aroma; as the drink warmed up a little, it gained absinthe notes and spiced ones from the Angostura's clove and allspice. The lime sip was then followed by Green Chartreuse herbal flavors on the swallow and Angostura's dryness on the finish.