high plains julep

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Amaretto (Luxardo)
6-8 leaf Mint

Muddle mint with the liqueurs in a Julep cup, add the rest of the ingredients, top with ice, and garnish with a mint bouquet. Two Mondays ago, I got home late from a series of industry events and felt like enjoying a Julep to round out the evening. Therefore, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion and became intrigued by the High Plains Julep by Travis Hernandez at Half Step in Austin circa 2017. There was something about amaretto juxtaposed with Braulio that I needed to experience to understand, and I also have a lot of Luxardo Amaretto since shortly after buying a bottle, I was tasked with developing a recipe with Luxardo and Hotaling products and was sent another bottle for R&D. Checking back, "shortly" was two years ago (replacing my 15+ year old bottle of Disaronno that I finished a month before), but that does sum up my general use of that liqueur. There are a few instances on the blog of bitter liquids pairing with amaretto with the most extreme being a hefty slug of Angostura Bitters in the Sock Drawer Sexuality, but most are with softer amaro such as two that I created – the Bar Boss with Cynar and the Am-Am Sour with Averna. While the closest thing to amaretto meeting mint was in the garnish to the Caribbean Punch, Braulio has been paired before with mint including two other Juleps – the Ducati and the Thieves in the Night. So I set to work (and got one step closer to not dying with two bottles of amaretto bottles in the house), and the High Plains Julep offered up mint aromas over almond and stone fruit pit ones. Next, caramel on the sip expanded into rye, almond, minty, bitter herbal, and pine flavors on the swallow.

ka lima lima hema

4 1/2 oz Four Roses Bourbon (3 oz Evan Williams Bonded)
1 1/2 oz Planteray OFTD Rum (1 oz)
1 1/2 oz Lemon Juice (1 oz)
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice (1 oz)
1 1/2 oz Passion Fruit Juice (1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup)
1 1/2 oz Luxardo Amaretto (1 oz)
3/4 oz Honey Syrup (1/2 oz)
3/4 oz Grenadine (1/2 oz)

Flash blend (whip shake) with crushed ice, pour into a bowl, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with 2 orchids (2 stems ornamental pea blossoms) and a sparkler (omit). Serve with 4 straws (2 straws).

Two Thursdays ago, Andrea was in the mood for some liquid air conditioning, so I decided on a large format drink, the Ka Lima Lima Hema, that I had found in online recipe flashcards for Houston's Kanaloa. The drink appears in Houston's Chronicle article on sharable drinks around town in 2019, and I shrunk down this serving for four by a third. The amaretto stood out for I have only had that ingredient in tropical-like drinks twice: in the Mai Tai-like Arrack & A Hard Place and the classic Caribbean Punch, so I was curious to try it in this mix. Moreover, the Bourbon-OFTD Rum combination was one that I utilized in the Cobra's Tail and enjoyed in the (And) Knobs Is Thirteen. This large format item also allowed me to finally use the Munktiki Sea Mine bowl that I received years ago in a bartender Secret Santa (the shrunk down by a third build was still not big enough for its 40 ounce capacity). The Ka Lima Lima Hema conjured up a floral bouquet to the nose. Next, orange, lemon, caramel, and passion fruit notes on the sip transformed into Bourbon, rum, passion fruit, almond, and berry flavors on the swallow. Overall, it reminded me perhaps of a more complex Fiji Mermaid.

mr. hyde

2 oz Belle Meade Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/4 oz Lazzaroni Amaretto (Luxardo)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz Gomme Syrup (Demerara Syrup)
2 dash Spiced Cherry Bitters (King Floyd's Cherry-Cacao)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Cork & Cow in Franklin, Tennessee, that I found the Smooth Operator. There, I selected the Mr. Hyde that reminded me of a spicy Boss (a Bourbon Godfather) that was very different from the amari-driven Mr. Hyde that I had made before. I was able to date this to circa 2019 through a GoogleMaps menu photo. In the glass, the Mr. Hyde conjured up orange, Bourbon, and almond aromas. Next, an orchard fruit and almond sip opened up into Bourbon, almond, peach, chili, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

white elephant

3/4 oz Blended Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
3/4 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Sperone)
1 tsp Luxardo Amaretto
1/2 tsp Nocino (Russo)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry and an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I turned to Imbibe Magazine's archives and found the White Elephant by Isaac Shumway as his take on fruitcake flavors via a 2021 article. Isaac opened the California Gold bar in San Rafael, California, in 2019, so perhaps he created it there. As sort of a Rob Roy meets a French Connection (a Cognac-based Godfather) with a touch of walnut in the mix, I was willing to give this one a shot. Here, the White Elephant approached with a grape and almond bouquet. Next, the vermouth's grape continued on into the sip where it was followed by smoky Scotch, Cognac, and herbal flavors on the swallow with fruity-nutty accents from the amaretto and walnut ones from the nocino.

sasaki garden

1 1/2 oz Nikka Coffey Grain Japanese Whisky (Suntory Toki)
1/2 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umburana)
2 tsp Caffo Amaretto (Luxardo)
1 tsp Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I looked to my Death & Co. book indices for recipes that utilize Japanese whisky, and I found the Sasaki Garden in their Welcome Home edition. The recipe was crafted by bartender Sam Johnson in 2019, and it was his ode to a park on the N.Y.U. campus that he used to walk through on the way to the bar. While the name reminded me of my Mytoi Gardens that I created at Russell House Tavern, the split spirits-split modifiers structure made me think of my Gallivanting in Golden Gai with orgeat and Maraschino. Since Scotch paired well with amaretto in the 1970s classic, the Godfather, and Scotch with apricot liqueur in the Golden Dog, I was curious to see how the two liqueurs worked with Japanese whisky. In the glass, the Sasaki Garden gave forth lemon and marzipan aromas. Next, a vaguely nutty and orchard fruit sip traversed into whisky, almond, cinnamon spice, and apricot flavors on the swallow. While the cachaça as a spirit got a little lost in the mix, the amburana wood finish came through with its delightful cinnamon spice note.

walk with elias

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Luxardo)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I ventured back to the 2020 Community Cocktails book and landed on the Walk with Elias by Jesse Cyr at Foreign National in Seattle that reminded me of an añejo tequila and Frangelico drink I had at the Casa Noble distillery in 2019. The drink was perhaps named an album by WWE professional wrestler Jeffrey Sciullo (known as Elias in the ring) released in 2018. In the glass, the Walk with Elias sauntered up to the nose with a lemon, almond, allspice, and floral aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip led into agave, nutty, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

midnight at the menagerie

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 1/2 oz Pasubio Vino Amaro
1/4 oz Lazzaroni Amaretto (Luxardo)
1/4 oz Saigon Cinnamon Syrup (Cassia Cinnamon Syrup)
1/8 oz Demerara Syrup
5 drop Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for the Patterson House in Nashville, when I came upon the Midnight at the Managerie that seemed like an interesting Black Manhattan of sorts using the wine-based blueberry amaro Pasubio and accents of amaretto, cinnamon, and chocolate. As for a time frame, I was able to spot the drink on Yelp menu photos from September and October 2020. In the glass, the Midnight at the Managerie started with an orange, almond, and blueberry bouquet. Next, the blueberry continued on into the sip that was followed up with rye, nutty, additional blueberry, cinnamon, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

do the right thing

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded Rye
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
2/3 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/3 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 bsp Disaronno Amaretto (1/8 oz)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across the Do The Right Thing. What I believe is a reference to Spike Lee's influential 1989 movie, this drink was crafted by Isaac Cohen in 2015 at the Iris Cafe in Brooklyn a few miles from where the movie was filmed. Overall, the combination reminded me of a rye-based Brooklyn crossed with An Apple Tree Grows in Brooklyn but with amaretto subbing for the nutty Maraschino. Once in the glass, the Do the Right Thing came forward with lemon, apple, and caramel orange aromas. Next, a caramel-noted sip marched into rye, apple, and bitter dark orange flavors on the swallow.

squeaky wheel

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Campari
3/4 oz St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur (3/8 oz each Kahlua + Mr. Black)
1/4 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I came across the recipe for the Squeaky Wheel in a 2019 Imbibe Magazine article as created by Nicholas Bennett at Cedric's at the Shed in Manhattan. Bennett was the beverage director at Cedric's in Hudson Yards concurrent with his time at Porchlight which are both under the umbrella of Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group. Since the idea of a mezcal-coffee Negroni has worked in the Sailor's Negroni, I was game to give this one a go with amaretto and Angostura Bitters in the mix. In the glass, the Squeaky Wheel opened up with orange, vegetal, coffee, and smoke aromas. Next, roast and almond notes on the sip flowed into smoky agave, roast, nutty, and clove flavors on the swallow.

mario's amaretto sour

1 oz Dewar's Scotch (Famous Grouse Black)
1 oz Lazzaroni Amaretto (Disaronno)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 tsp Rich Simple (1/4 oz 1:1)
1/2 Egg White (1 whole Egg White)

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with 7 drop Angostura Bitters.Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to delve into an online set of recipe flashcards for the current menu at Cure in New Orleans. Mario's Amaretto Sour crafted by Chris Paolini made me think of an Amaretto Sour crossed with a Godfather, so I was curious to give it a try. Moreover, the whiskey component reminded me of Jeffrey Morgenthaler's Amaretto Sour that inspired me to use overproof rum in my Am-Am Sour with Amaro Averna and Amaretto that I created at Drink. Once assembled, Mario's Amaretto Sour showcased a nutty almond and clove bouquet. Next, a creamy lemon and almond sip flowed into Scotch and almond flavors on the swallow. While there were no great surprises here, I did find the combination a level up from the classic.

bar boss

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
1/2 oz Cynar
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a cherry.Two weeks ago, I was getting bombarded on social media for folks posting their voting link to the Bar Boss competition for a celebrity mezcal brand. After generating and posting a fake one for Stan Jones (see below) with the quote "I'm not just a bar boss, I published the first Boss Cocktail recipe before you were a glimmer in your daddy's eyes", it got me thinking about the Boss which is a Bourbon Godfather that first apeared in Stan Jones' 1977 Complete Barguide. How could I update this to modern standards and call it the Bar Boss? Switching the Bourbon to rye and making it more complex as a split base with mezcal (as well as including it as a nod to the competition's sponsors) was a first step. The second was making the amaretto component more dynamic with Cynar; despite never having had both amaretto and Cynar in a cocktail before, I knew that both rye and mezcal make excellent partners with it. Adding in Angostura and mole bitters to complement the rye and mezcal, respectively, was a final touch.Once prepared, the Bar Boss greeted the senses with nutty, cherry, and hint of smoke aromas. Next, caramel and almond notes on the sip led the way to rye, funky vegetal, and nutty flavors on the swallow with a chocolate and smoke finish. My major regret when making this drink was that I posted it on Instagram with #barboss and related hashtags used in the competition which garnered me a lot of bot activity for over a week asking for my voting link in my DMs and leaving comments on the post (I deleted all but the first one though).

classic mob movie

2 oz Glenlivet Founder's Reserve Scotch (Famous Grouse)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with 2 cherries on a pick and with orange oil from a twist.

Two Saturdays ago, I opened up my new purchase of Gabriel Fernando Urrutia's Miami Cocktails book and came upon the Godfather riff called the Classic Mob Movie. The recipe was crafted by Dave Simmons at The Anderson, and its call for two cherries reminded me of the garnish lore of how two olives in a Martini has been considered a warning from the bartender that a mobster is out to get them. Audrey Saunders' Little Italy recipe has been frequently written as having two cherries as a garnish (although not the Robert Simonson recipe that I utilized on the blog earlier this year), so perhaps this was a nod to that modern classic or a similar aesthetic utilized. (* see post note below)The Classic Mob Movie began with an apricot-almond and orange oil aroma. Next, the vermouth's grape on the sip was a delightful addition to the classic, and this was pursued by Scotch, dried fruit, and almond flavors on the swallow with an allspice finish.

Postnote: After writing this out, I contacted Audrey on Twitter as to why she went with two. She replied that she "Always found the whole business of odd number garnish rubbish – instead prefer to go on drink by drink basis. Do we really need 3(!) sugar soaked cherries regardless of how delicious? I think not. Yet one would not suffice. So one for the 1st 1/2 of the drink & one more for the 2nd."

godfather

2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I began flipping through Steve the Bartender's Cocktail Guide, came across the Godfather, and realized that I had never written it up for the blog. The drink's genesis is tied to the 1970s perhaps inspired by the 1972 movie, and the earliest source that I can find in my collection is the 1977 Stan Jones' Barguide. Stan Jones' recipe lacks a garnish and also includes Bourbon as an option despite that version appearing in there as The Boss. The God series was popular at Drink back in the day due to a cult fascination with amaretto, and that recipe is 2 1/2 oz to 1/2 oz with no garnish; I utilized Drink's ratio and included the lemon twist from Steve's book. In the glass, the Godfather proffered lemon, apricot, and nutty aromas. Next, malt and orchard fruit on the sip converted into smoky whisky, nutty, and fruity flavors on the swallow. Overall, the concent reminds me of my guilty pleasure of a Rusty Nail as well as the Highlander in the concept of two part drinks of Scotch and a liqueur modifier.

a.m.

1 1/2 oz Beefeater Gin
1/2 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Fridays ago, I was checking up on something in the Drinks of Drink notebook when I spotted the A.M. The A.M. is something that I have known from the bar's recipe collection since I gained a copy in 2015, but I have yet to spot it elsewhere in the literature so perhaps it was a house invention circa 2008-2011 (given the history of my copy's source). Once prepared, the A.M. greeted the senses with an almond-apricot and floral aroma. Next, a lemon-driven sip converted into gin, nutty, and apricot flavors on the swallow. Overall, the apricot liqueur did a surprising job here of toning down the amaretto.

am-am (amaro-amaretto) sour

1 oz Amaretto (Luxardo at work, Disaronno at home)
1 oz Amaro Averna
1/2 oz Plantation OFTD Overproof Rum
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into single old fashioned or medium-large coupe glass, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.

While bartending at Drink, I had a guest that asked for a riff on an Amaretto Sour. My mind immediately went to Jeffrey Morgenthaler's The Best Amaretto Sour in the World recipe as a starting point. My problem with Amaretto Sours for me is that they are too driven by amaretto even with a high proof spirit backbone, so I split it with Averna since it seemed like it would have a complementary flavor profile yet drive the balance in a more caramel-herbal direction. While I have never made one of Morgenthaler's Amaretto Sours for myself, I have made Brad Parson's Amaro Sour that was inspired by it, and this recipe is a hybrid of the two. Since I always keep a bottle of Plantation OFTD Rum nearby my bar station for tropical drinks, I used this as the high proof structure in my mashup. My guests have returned and asked for this Amaretto Sour riff again, so I know that it has hit its mark. To keep things less confusing, perhaps dubbing it the Amaro-Amaretto (or Am-Am) Sour would be best.Amusingly, I just re-discovered a post I did on the Amaretto Sour for a 2008 Mixology Monday event (it was my third month participating). There, I tried to make the "guilty pleasure" drink more interesting by making my own amaretto. Certainly the Amaretto Sours that I quaffed in the 1990s had neither egg whites in them nor fresh citrus (bottled sour mix was king back then in Boston). Here, when crossed with the Amaro Sour, this Am-Am Sour proffered an orange and nutty bouquet to the nose. Next, a creamy lemon and caramel sip flowed in to nutty and herbal flavors on the swallow with a rum-tinged finish.

old ironsides

1 1/2 oz Scarlet Ibis Rum (Privateer Navy Yard)
1/2 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 oz Dolin Rouge Vermouth (Martini Grand Lusso)
1 tsp Lazzaroni Amaretto (Disaronno)
1 dash Fee's Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.
Two Sundays ago, I was flipping through the Death & Co. Cocktail Book and spotted the Old Ironsides. It was not the Old Ironsides crafted by Sean Kenyon but one designed by Brian Miller in 2009. I probably skipped over this recipe numerous times either out of waiting until I purchased Scarlet Ibis Rum or due to my skepticism of amaretto-containing cocktails; I got over the first part by subbing in Privateer's Navy Yard, and I am still not sure how I got past the second aspect (most likely a curiosity of how Brian Miller's wizardry would handle it). Once prepared, the Old Ironsides donated a nutty and grape bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel on the sip sailed into rum, molasses, nutty, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow that came across much like maple syrup. The drink itself is named after the USS Constitution that is docked in Charlestown, MA, and I had the privilege of seeing it fire off its guns while on a rum-sponsored harbor cruise this past summer.

blood, lust, and diamonds

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt)
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 dash Amaretto (1 bsp Disaronno)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.
Two Mondays ago, I was flipping through New York Cocktails in order to find the evening's nightcap. The one that stood out was Brian Teoh's Blood, Lust, and Diamonds that he created at Jakewalk, and the name reminded me of Trina's Starlite Lounge's Power, Corruption, and Lies. Instead of a New Order song title, Brian dubbed the drink after a quote from the early 17th century dramatist John Webster who wrote, "Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or wit, like diamonds, we are cut with our own dust." In the glass, the touch of amaretto added a nuttiness to the rye nose. Next, a grape sip led into whiskey, Cognac, vanilla, clove, and almond flavors.

arrack and a hard place

3/4 oz Batavia Arrack
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Combier Orange Liqueur
3/4 oz Amaretto
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with 2 dashes Fee's Whiskey Barrel Bitters and add straws.

Two Mondays ago, I wandered down to Brick & Mortar after work to get one more night out before New Years Eve craziness followed by New Years Day closures across town (except for Russell House Tavern since I had to work both days). For a cocktail, bar manager Matthew Schrage suggested that I ask Cristal for the cocktail that she created for the Central Kitchen menu called the Arrack & A Hard Place.
Cristal was more than happy to oblige, and the drink began with a wave of cinnamon aromas from the bitters garnish. The orange and lime citrus notes in the sip were joined by amaretto's almond flavor. Finally, the swallow offered Batavia Arrack and Smith & Cross's funky rum notes that met the amaretto's nuttiness and the lime's crispness on the finish. Given the nuttiness of the amaretto, the recipe did share a resemblance to a Mai Tai although one with a different range of flavors.

etched in time

1 1/2 oz Ron Abuelo Rum
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Luxardo Amaretto
1/4 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
1/4 oz Angostura Bitters
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a dried rosebud.
After the Edgar Allen Poe, I searched through bartender Sahil Mehta's cocktail recipe notebook and spotted the Etched in Time. The drink was one of Sahil's creations for the Angostura competition. Since the drink was rather amber, Sahil wanted something to be trapped in there, so he garnished with the dried rosebud. Once mixed for me, the Etched in Time greeted the nose with a cherry and amaretto aroma. The lemon sip shared a vague fruitiness, and the swallow began with rum followed by dark herbal notes, nuttiness, and Angostura Bitters' dryness and spice.

sock drawer sexuality

1 1/2 oz Luxardo Amaretto
3/4 oz Siete Leguas Añejo Tequila
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Two Thursdays ago, Andrea and I ventured over to South Boston to pay bartender John Mayer a visit at Local 149. For a first drink, John recommended a drink that he had been tinkering with; he had riffed off of a recipe of his called the Rest Stop by substituting amaretto for the St. Germain, and adding tequila to the mix. For a name, he called it the Sock Drawer Sexuality which made me think of Clio's Mary's Sock Drawer. John did remind me that his wife is a sexuality teacher, so ideas like Magic Wand Malfunction are just common topics of conversation at home. The Sock Drawer Sexuality also reminded me a little of No. 9 Park's Diversionary Dam given the liqueur-Angostura combination.
The Sock Draw Sexuality began with the amaretto's almond aroma. The amaretto continued on into the sip along with the lemon and into the swallow where it mingled first with a glimmer of the tequila and then the dry wave of Angostura spice. The balance of amaretto with bitter and citrus here also made me think of Trina's Starlite Lounge's Suze-E-Q.