route 287

2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a Highball glass, and top with ~4 oz IPA beer. Gently stir, garnish with a pineapple wedge-grapefruit slice flag, and add a straw.
After Yvonne's, I made my way over to Stoddard's where I found a seat in front of bartender Tony Iamunno. For a drink, I asked for the Route 287 which was Tony's tribute to perhaps the north-south highway that runs through Texas. Once prepared and served, the Route 287 gave forth pineapple and grapefruit notes to the nose from the garnish. Next, a malty and pineapple sip slid into tequila on the swallow with a cinnamon and grapefruit finish.

the welty

2 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Aperol
1/4 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice, and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Two Wednesdays ago, I made my way to Downtown Crossing and started my evening at Stoddard's. For a first drink, I asked bartender Tony Iamunno for The Welty that he described as being created by Trevor LeBlanc. When I inquired about the name, he mentioned that Boston artist Emma Welty was the inspiration. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Pantomime so I was definitely excited to give it a try.
The Welty proffered a lime and orange aroma that led into creamy orange sip that reminded me a little of the Good Humor. Next, the swallow shared herbal and nutty flavors with a lime finish.

the nameless city

2 oz Old Overholt Rye
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a double Old Fashioned glass, fill with crushed ice, garnish with an orange wheel-lime wheel-cherry flag, and add straws.
Two Wednesdays ago, I ventured down to Stoddard's in Downtown Crossing. For a first drink, I asked bar manager Jamie Walsh for the Nameless City. Bartender Travis who mixed the drink informed me that it was created by Tony Iamunno; I suspect that the drink's name refers to the 1921 H.P. Lovecraft story that is the beginning of the Cthulhu mythos. In the glass, the Nameless City presented a lime and orange aroma with hints of cherry to the nose. Next, orange, lime, honey, and malt mingled on the sip, and the swallow was the pairing of rye and herbal notes akin to the Colleen Bawn.

the butterfly sting

1 1/2 oz Four Roses Bourbon
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1/2 oz Sirop de Canne (*)
2 dash Regan's Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) Substitute a 2:1 simple syrup. Note: this drink was a bit sweet for me once it warmed up, so perhaps a 1/2 oz demerara 1:1 syrup would work better here. Or halving the sirop de canne to 1/4 oz.

Two Wednesdays ago, I made my way down to Stoddard's where I found a seat in front of bar manager Jamie Walsh and bartender Tony Iamunno. For a first drink, I asked Tony for the Butterfly Sting that he described as his Muhammed Ali tribute cocktail. The structure itself reminded me of the Palaver with Swedish Punsch taking the place of the Palaver's Fernet Branca.
The Butterfly Sting floated in with an orange oil notes that brightened the Bourbon aroma. Next, a rich grape and orange sip flipped into a whiskey, bitter, and tea tannin swallow that at first finished somewhat dry. As the cocktail warmed up, the balanced became a bit too much on the sweet side for my palate, so perhaps dropping the sirop de canne or switching to a less concentrated sugar source would help here.

shipwrecked in paradise

1 oz Cruzan Dark Rum
1 oz Cruzan Light Rum
3/4 oz Apricot Liqueur
1/2 oz Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Key Lime Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a tall glass or Tiki mug. Fill with crushed ice and garnish with 3-4 dash Angostura Bitters.
Two Wednesdays ago, I ventured downtown and stopped in at Stoddard's. For a first drink, I asked bar manager Jamie Walsh for the Shipwrecked in Paradise, and Jamie mentioned that it was the handiwork of bartender Tony Iamunno. With apricot in the mix, the combination reminded me a little of mid-century Zombie recipes. Once prepared, the drink's bitters garnish provided an allspice and clove bouquet to the nose. Next, a rich sip filled with lime and orange notes transitioned into a rum, nutty, and apricot swallow with a spiced pineapple finish.

anchor of light

2 oz La Caravedo Pisco
1/2+ oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/2 oz Falernum

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Two Wednesdays ago, I ventured down to Stoddard's where bartender Keith Corbett was at the stick. For a drink, I asked for his "Anchor If Light" from the menu, and I was curious about the nautical meaning especially with the sailor's ties to pisco. Keith explained that the name was "Anchor Of Light" after the video game, and the difference was due to autocorrect when submitting his drinks for the menu. Regardless, the idea of an herbal and spiced Pisco Punch sounded delightful.
The Anchor Of Light presented a pisco and pineapple aroma with hints of herbal notes. Next, lime and a vague fruitiness on the sip led into pisco, pineapple, clove, and herbal notes on the swallow.

palomino sling

1 1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry
1 oz Cruzan Dark Rum
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a tulip glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with berries, a lime wedge, mint, and a pineapple chunk, and add a straw.

After Yvonne's, I cut through the alley to get to Temple Place to visit Stoddard's. There, I was greeted by bartender Trevor LeBlanc, and for a cocktail, I selected his Palomino Sling from the menu. The combination of rum, lime, orgeat, and cinnamon reminded me of a Cuban Anole, and with most of the base being sherry, this libation could do no wrong.
The Palomino Sling's garnishes contributed greatly to the nose including mint notes and fruity ones especially from the blackberry and pineapple. Next, the sherry's grape mingled with the lime on the sip, and the swallow was nutty from the sherry and orgeat and spiced from the cinnamon syrup and bitters.

to become small again

2 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
1/2 oz Suze Gentiane Liqueur
2 dash Lemon Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

A few Sundays ago, I ventured my way down to Stoddard's for drinks. For a starter, I asked bartender Tony Iamunno for the To Become Small Again. I had previously spotted it on the menu and was intrigued by the ingredient combination, but I wanted the creator of said libation to make it for me. As for the name, Tony did not recall what the inspiration was other than something that he read, heard, or thought about around the time of the recipe's creation.
The To Become Small Again began with an earthy, herbal, floral, and pine aroma. Next, the sip was slightly caramel and tea-like in flavor. Finally, the swallow was earthy and herbal with lemon, methol, and pine notes and with a light tea tannin finish. Looking back in my notes, the combination of Swedish punsch and gentian liqueur was something novel to me that I hope gets continued in future recipes.

the murder of dutch schultz

1 1/2 oz Bols Genever
1 oz Lustau Amontillado Sherry
1 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz Bols Crème de Cacao

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

Two Sundays ago, I paid a visit to Stoddard's when Tony Iamunno was tending bar. For a first drink, I asked Tony about the Murder of Dutch Schultz on the cocktail menu. Tony described how during fits of insomnia, he reads Wikipedia, and in one of those browsing sessions, he found an article on the Jewish-American and Italian-American Murder, Inc. gang. I became familiar with Dutch Schultz through William Burroughs' piece "The Last Words of Dutch Schultz"; Dutch was a 1930s-era German-Jewish gangster who became the target of the Murder, Inc. hit squad. While they did mortally wound Dutch, he lived on for a few hours to ramble in a high-fever delirium.
The Murder of Dutch Schultz in cocktail format proffered an orange and malt aroma. The sherry's grape mingled with the Genever's malt on the sip, and the swallow began with more of the Genever notes and ended with a chocolate and orange finish.

the black mercy

2 oz Ramazzotti Amaro
1/2 oz Bols Orange Curaçao
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.

Two Sundays ago, Andrea and I ventured down to Stoddard's where bartender Tony Iamunno was working. Out of the new menu items, I narrowed my selections down to two, and from those choices, Tony recommended the Black Mercy. The recipe was his drink, and he named the recipe after a parasitic alien in the Justice League Unlimited comic that causes its victims to hallucinate. Actually, I figured it was Tony's menu item due to the Ramazzotti, for he has used it in other drinks like the Fight in Silence, besides the drink structure in general seeming like his.
The Black Mercy presented a citrussy nose that shared more orange aromas than lemon. A dark honey and caramel sip was brightened by the lemon juice, and the swallow offered orange peel and lemon notes. Overall, the drink had a cola-like flavor that Andrea found more on the sip and I more on the swallow.

fight in silence

1 1/2 oz Rhum Clément VSOP
1 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
1 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Brown Sugar Syrup (*)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with an orange twist.
(*) Tony prefers brown sugar syrup, but only burnt sugar syrup was available at the bar that night.

Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured down to Stoddard's and found some standing room at the end of the bar along with a menu. Soon after, I was greeted by bartender Tony Iamunno and I commented that the Fight in Silence had his name written all over it. Tony was curious as to how I knew it was his creation, and I replied that it shared some similarities to the Blood of My Enemies that he crafted last summer both in name and in ingredients.
The Fight in Silence's orange twist greeted the nose and prepared the senses for the orange flavors to follow. A creamy orange and caramel sip was followed by a grassy rum swallow. After the rum notes, there was a bitter herbal and dark caramel finish that came across almost cherry-like at times.

i'm on a boat

1 oz Cognac
1 oz Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum
1/2 oz Marie Brizard Curaçao
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple fruit leaf, an orange twist, and a cherry, and add a straw.

Two Tuesdays ago, I stopped into Stoddard's before attending the soirée for Count Branca (of Fernet Branca) at Silvertone. I was originally going to get one of the interesting beers off of Stoddard's ever-changing list, but bar manager Jamie Walsh suggested that I try the new menu item, the I'm on a Boat. He explained that it was their riff on the Mai Tai that they named after the Saturday Night Live music video sketch.
The orange twist contributed greatly to the drink's aroma. The grapefruit juice played a major part of the sip; moreover, the combination of lime, curaçao, and Angostura Bitters seemed to bolster this perception as it does in the Pegu Club. Finally, the Cognac notes appeared on the swallow along with the orgeat's nuttiness and the rum and bitters' spice.

jack frost

1 1/2 oz Laird's Applejack
1/2 oz Sheep Dip Scotch
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 dash Absinthe

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass containing a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.
For my second cocktail at Stoddard's, I asked bar manager Jamie Walsh for the Jack Frost. Jamie mentioned that it had been created by bartender Eric Cross for the recent menu revision. The Jack Frost presented a lemon oil aroma that prepared the mouth for the lemon and apple sip. The Scotch filled the swallow at first, but later apple and cinnamon spice notes crept in.

the persecuted gentleman

1 1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye
1/2 oz Brandy
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Agave Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Two Thursdays ago, I ventured down to Stoddard's to check out the new items on the menu. The first one that called out to me was the Persecuted Gentleman, and bar manager Jamie Walsh mentioned that it was created by bartender Ramona Shah. The drink offered up a rye and Fernet Branca aroma. The rye's malt and the amari's caramel filled the sip, and the swallow began with the rye and ended with the Cynar morphing into Fernet Branca on the finish. The Persecuted Gentleman was not as herbal as I expected it to be, and perhaps the agave nectar worked to smooth over the flavor profile without making this drink all that sweet.

the blood of my enemies

1 oz Clement Rhum Agricole
1 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Blood Orange Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
Continuing on with my birthday bar crawl after the In Fashion at J.M. Curley, I ventured down Temple Place to Stoddard's. For a drink, I asked bar manager Jamie Walsh for the Blood of My Enemies. Jamie explained that the drink was created by Tony Iamunno. Once made, the rhum agricole's grass note was complemented by a fruit aroma. Next, the orange and pomegranate on the sip led into a smoothed over rhum agricole flavor on the swallow.

midnight elixir

2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Top with ~1 oz soda water and float 1/2 oz Fernet Branca. Garnish with a lime wheel and add a straw.
The other house original that caught my eye at Stoddard's was the Midnight Elixir. To the top of a gin, ginger, and lime Fizz was an ominous layer of Fernet Branca like in the Benton Park Swizzle. This Fernet float donated a menthol note to the lime garnish's aroma. The sip showcased the lime juice, and the spice from the ginger and Ransom Old Tom Gin filled the swallow. Towards the end, the intense bitter herbalness of the Fernet Branca entered into the picture. Overall, between the ginger and the Fernet Branca, I could see the Midnight Elixir being just as good of a Corpse Reviver as it would be to settle the stomach after a big late-night dinner.

frolic fizz

2 oz Privateer White Rum
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1 dash Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Lavender-Infused Honey Syrup (*)
1 dash Crème de Violette
1 Egg White

Shake with ice and strain into a Highball glass. Top with ~2 oz of soda water, garnish with dried lavender flowers, and add a straw.
(*) A 4:1 infused syrup. As a quick substitution, shake the drink with honey syrup and 1 tsp of dried lavender flowers. Add a fine straining step.
Two Thursdays ago, I stopped into Stoddard's for drinks. The house original that called out to me was Eric Cross's Frolic Fizz that was a delightful sounding flowery rum-based Silver Fizz. Bar manager Jamie Walsh later explained that the drink is an incredible seller which is a blessing except on Friday and Saturday nights. Once mixed, the lavender flower garnish contributed greatly to the drink's aroma. Next, a honey and grapefruit sip led into a rum swallow and a floral finish.

bittah walshie

2 oz Plymouth Gin
3/4 oz Angostura Bitters
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Curaçao

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe glass.

For my next drink at Stoddard's, I asked bartender Eric Cross for the Bittah Walshie. The cocktail was credited to Boston legend Ryan McGrale perhaps in honor of Stoddard's bar manager Jamie Walsh. With the heavy dose of Angostura Bitters along with lime juice, orgeat, and orange liqueur, the Bitter Walshie reminded me a little of Giuseppe Gonzalez's Stormy Mai Tai albeit with a less tropical feel.
The Bittah Walshie conjured an allspice and clove bouquet that led into a cherry, citrus, and almond sip. The swallow presented more of the Angostura Bitter's spices along with lime tartness and the gin's juniper notes.

penny reel

1 oz Drambuie
1 oz Brandy
1 oz El Dorado 12 Year Demerara Rum
1/2 oz Raspberry Purée
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Falernum
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a Tiki mug filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime twist and 2 cherries, and add a straw.

On Sunday, Andrea had to go into work, so I decided to go on a bar crawl until I could meet up with her later. I started my afternoon at Stoddard's in Boston and asked bartender Eric Cross for the Penny Reel. With a name that evoked an image of early movie theaters and with classic ingredients like brandy, demerara rum, raspberry, and lime, I was expecting a turn of the century style of drink. I was not expecting a Tiki drink especially since the cinnamon syrup and falernum were left off of the ingredients list; however, I was not upset by the surprise. Eric explained that the drink was named after bar manager Jamie Walsh's new daughter Penelope, although he did not rule out the possibility of movie or music influences in the drink's naming. The 1964 Jamaican ska song "Penny Reel" by Eric Morris at least would support the tropical feel to the drink.
The Penny Reel greeted the nose with a raspberry and lime aroma. The lime and honey sip was followed by raspberry and rum notes on the swallow. Moreover, the swallow ended with cinnamon, clove, and other spice notes that grew over successive sips.

filmograph

2 oz Brandy
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Cola Syrup (*)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
(*) A 4-fold reduction of Coca Cola (presumably cane sugar Coke).

Since it was Oscar Night when we were at Stoddard's, they had a special 6 drink Oscars-themed drink menu. The one that seemed most appealing was the Filmograph that appeared in the Savoy Cocktail Book. Filmograph was the name of a company that made motion picture equipment during the silent era as well as a film entertainment newspaper during that time period. While the original calls for Kola Tonic (a South African syrup) and Sirop de Citron (a French-styled lemon syrup), the bartenders at Stoddard's took some liberties that were suggested in Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails and elsewhere. Instead of the hard to source Kola Tonic, they opted for a four-fold reduction of Coca Cola, and instead of lemon syrup, they went with lemon juice so that the drink did not end up syrupy sweet. One of the bartenders explained that the drink was not only chosen for the name but for the Coke flavors to pair well with the popcorn they were giving out for the Oscar viewing party.
The Filmograph began with a lemon aroma from the twist and an herbal note from the cola syrup. The sip offered up lemon and Coke's caramel flavors, and the swallow presented the brandy and bitter Coke elements that finished with a tart citrus note. I was impressed at how well the Coke notes worked with the brandy; this was not that surprising when I recalled that Alain Royer mentioned during a Cognac blending seminar that most VS and VSOP Cognac in France is mixed with Coca Cola.