bodega

1 1/2 oz Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
1 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.
Two Sunday nights ago, we stopped into State Park where Peter Nelson and Steph Hiltz were behind the stick. For a drink, I asked Steph for the Bodega, and Pete later informed me that it was created by Evan Harrison. I surmised that it was one of Evan's for it reminded me of his Nonantum Cocktail in structure (besides making me think of a pineapple rum Green Point). In the glass, the Bodega welcomed the nose with pineapple and herbal notes. Next, caramel and grape on the sip sold out to pineapple rum flavors pleasantly joined by bitter herbal ones.

mighty peking man

1 1/2 oz Aviation Gin
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, garnish with mint, and add a straw.
Two Mondays ago, I ventured down to State Park to watch the screening of Bartender at Large. Bartender Erick Castro who helped to create the documentary was present, and he offered me one of his creations created with the event sponsor, Aviation Gin, called the Mighty Peking Man. The drink name is a reference to a 1977 monster movie featuring the "King of the Orangutans" (the literal translation from the Mandarin title) that came in the wake of the 1976 remake of King Kong. Once served, the Mighty Peking Man proffered a mint aroma that led into a grape sip tinged by the pineapple and lime notes. Next, pineapple modulated by the vermouth was joined by the gin on the swallow with a lime and clove finish.

iguaçu

3/4 oz Novo Fogo Cachaça
1 1/2 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist.

Two Mondays ago, I headed over to State Park after having dinner with Andrea at Cambridge Brewing Company. For a first drink, I asked bartender Evan Harrison for the Iguaçu. Evan described how the recipe was created by Andrew Ianazzi who really likes Cardamaro and Blood & Sands. In crafting the Iguaçu, Andrew found that Cardamaro was akin to a combination of vermouth and cherry liqueur in that classic, and he crafted this as a cachaça drink. Keeping the State Park cocktail naming convention, this one was dubbed after a national park in Brazil.
The Iguaçu offered up orange oil aromas that led into a rich, grape sip. The swallow was much more complex though with funky rum, herbal, and orange notes and a spice-laden finish.

monument valley

3/4 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
1/2 oz Chinaco Blanco Tequila
1 1/4 oz Avèze Gentian Liqueur
1/2 oz St. Germain
1/4 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.

After the Boston Bacardi Legacy event two Mondays ago, I traveled a stop up the Red Line to visit State Park. For a first drink, I asked bartender Peter Nelson Jr. for the Monument Valley; since it was his creation, he was well equipped to tell me more about the drink. He described how he named it after a state park in the Four Corners region with vast red sandstone buttes; moreover, he utilized mezcal to donate some smokiness and gentian liqueur to offer dustiness in order to capture the feel of the place. In addition, it did not hurt that the park shared a namesake with one of his favorite puzzle video games.
The Monument Valley gave forth a smoky aroma with earthy rootiness that preceded the caramel and light pear on the sip. Next, the swallow presented smoky agave and Cynar's funky herbalness tempered by the gentian, and it finished with St. Germain's floral notes. The gentian liqueur worked rather well with the mezcal as it has in the Terrible Love and other drinks.