tico tico

2 oz Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1 oz Ginger Syrup
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass (Tiki mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a pineapple leaf and orange slice (orange twist only). Two Thursdays ago, I reached for Nicole Schaefer's Portland Cocktails book, and I turned to the Hale Pele section in search for something tropical. There, I found the Tico Tico by Tara McCarron, and the book described how "tico" is a term for the natives of Costa Rica. However, Tara corrected that on my Instagram, "I actually got the inspiration for the name from the Brazilian song 'Tico-Tico no Fubá (sparrow in the cornmeal)'. It was featured in an old Donald Duck cartoon where he visits Brazil and meets a parrot named José Carioca who teaches him how to dance the samba and drink cachaça!" The parrot who first appeared in 1942 has its own Wikipedia page that elaborates how he was created by the Brazilian cartoonist José Carlos de Brito and shown to Walt Disney on Walt's trip to Rio de Janeiro in 1941; José Carioca has been used on and off by Disney for the last 80 years in cartoons, video games, and theme parks. Once prepared, the Tico Tico danced to the nose with orange, ginger, and cachaça's grassy funk. Next, lime, pineapple, and orange notes on the sip transitioned into funky cachaça blending into ginger and orange peel flavors on the swallow.

chasing ghosts

1 oz Ilegal Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Luxardo Mararschino
1/2 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umburana)

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 Bardtenders' folder on the Spec App and spotted the Chasing Ghosts listed without attribution. With a little searching, I found the recipe on the podcast's Instagram page in 2025 listing the creator Audrey Ludlam. Audrey was on the show in 2023 when she was at the Black Sheep in Bellingham, Washington, that served up tacos and agave drinks, which makes sense given the ingredients. Here, the split base with mezcal accented by Maraschino and a vermouth reminded me of the 1910 Cocktail. Moreover, the mezcal and aged cachaça have worked well together in drinks like the Veldt and the Adorable Bartender, so I was curious to give this one a go. In the glass, the Chasing Ghosts offered up orange, nutty cherry, amburana wood spice, and smoke aromas to the nose. Next, a semi-sweet sip with a hint of cherry blossomed into vegetal, grassy, cherry, and cinnamon-like spice flavors on the swallow.

maria bonita

1 oz Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1 oz Campari
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. I became inspired by the cachaça, apple brandy, and cinnamon trio of the Cinnamon Girl that I had made a few days prior and I merged parts of that with a Negroni given that it was Negroni Week and the cinnamon-Campari duo of Erick Castro's Babbo's Toddy. I dubbed this one the Maria Bonita which was the nickname of Maria Delia who joined Lapião and his bandits in criminal adventures in Brazil circa 1930; Maria & Lampião became entrenched in Brazilian folk history akin to Bonnie & Clyde in the United States. Once mixed, the Maria Bonita shot forth with orange, cinnamon, and grassy funk aromas. Next, grape and apple notes on the sip were ambushed by funky cachaça, apple, bitter orange, cinnamon, and clove flavors on the swallow.

cinnamon girl

1 oz Avua Prata Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Laird's Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
3/4 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Whip shake, pour into a double old fashioned glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with an Angostura Bitters float (3-4 dashes). I drank this with a straw to bypass the bitters layer. Two Tuesdays, after I returned home from placing third in the Boston Malört competition making the Swedish Paralysis (see the updated post with a photo of me behind the bar that night), I had extra prepped orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon syrup left over. I looked for a good use of these ingredients before the juices went bad, and in my notes, I found the Cinnamon Girl by Rebeca Hitcher for the Dutch Kills' Fall 2024 menu via online recipe flashcards. Once prepared, the Cinnamon Girl welcomed the nose with allspice, cinnamon, and clove aromas from the bitters garnish and the syrup. Next, through the straw, the sip shared orange and lemon notes, and the swallow unfurled funky cachaça, apple, and cinnamon flavors. Indeed, I was impressed at how well this cachaça worked with apple brandy, and I had noted similar observations in the Ironbound and Fantastic Fizz (and I used it in my Vagalume Bowl).

vagabond

1 1/2 oz Oak-aged Cachaça (Cuca Fresca Gold)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice (1/2 oz)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I began searching the Kindred Cocktails database when I found a 2024 entry for the Vagabond. This one was different from the Vagabond in Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 as well as from Leo Robitschek's Vagabond in The Nomad Cocktail Book, for this one was created by Leonardo Rezende at the Dandelion Cocktail Bar in Florianopolis, Brazil, who also crafted the Griselda. Once prepared, the Vagabond shuffled grassy funk, pineapple, and menthol aromas to the nose. Next, pineapple and lemon notes on the sip gave way to funky cachaça, bitter, minty, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

royal port

3/4 oz Hampden Estate 8 Year Jamaican Rum (Monymusk Gold)
3/4 oz Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 tsp Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Dale DeGroff Pimento Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with lemon twist coin.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the Death & Co. market site and found the Royal Port by Joshua White at Death & Co. DC in 2024. He was inspired to create this riff on the Vieux Carré by the legendary pirate haven of Port Royal in Jamaica that also inspired this Port Royal and that one. The split spirit base caught my eye for the Jamaican rum-cachaça duo was one that I enjoyed in the Jah Rule and one that I had recently used in the Overpowered by Funk. In the glass, the Royal Port opened up with lemon, caramel, tropical, and funky aromas. Next, caramel and white grape notes on the sip sailed into funky rum, pineapple, banana, and allspice flavors on the swallow

overpowered by funk

1 oz Jamaican Aged Rum (Smith & Cross)
1 oz Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two weeks ago, I put out a call for bartenders to submit drinks named after song titles or lyrics from The Clash for an article in Alcohol Professor. I was planning on using my Lost in the Supermarket for the article until another bartender called dibs on it. Therefore, I decided to craft another drink by looking for inspiration in the band's discography. From their 1982 album Combat Rock, I latched onto the Overpowered by Funk. My mind went to the cachaça and Jamaica rum duo from the Jah Rule two nights before, and I paired it with the funky amaro Cynar as well as crème de banane since it worked with with Cynar in the Banana Clipper. The combination lived up to its name as it started with grassy, pineapple, herbal, and allspice aromas. Next, a caramel-driven sip transformed into funky-grassy rum, bitter herbal, banana, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

jah rule

1 oz Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1 oz Doctor Bird Aged Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Absinthe (8 drop St. George)

Shake with ice, strain into a Tiki mug or old fashioned glass, and fill with crushed ice.Monday two weeks ago, I volunteered to work at the Boston edition of Speed Rack which was the first opportunity to do so since March 2020. While cleaning up afterward the event, someone pointed out that were a few left over bottles from the brand tables for the volunteers to take, and I grabbed a bottle of Luxardo Bitter Bianco since I had my eye on it previously when in liquor stores. For a first drink with it, I made the Jah Rule by Jessica Manzey at Seattle's Rumba from Chloe Frechette's Easy Tiki book as the combination of cachaça and Jamaican rum seemed alluring. Once prepared, the Jah Rule opened up with tropical fruit and rum funk aromas. Next, lime notes filled the sip and led into funky, grassy, bitter herbal, banana, pineapple, and soursop flavors on the swallow. Although it was a bit on the tart side, there was so much flavor complexity in this mix that it was rather enjoyable.

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.

cocktail 44

1 1/2 oz Aged Novo Fogo Cachaça (Cachaça Salinas Umbarana)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Aperol
1/8 oz Grenadine
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I revisited online recipe flashcards from the Paper Plane in Decatur, Georgia, and I landed on the Cocktail 44 as an intriguing stirred cachaça cocktail. I then confirmed the recipe in an April 2013 Imbibe Magazine article which identified the creator as bartender Paul Calvert. The orange liqueur, Punt e Mes, and grenadine components reminded me of Eastern Standard's Coup d'État, but the recipes were completely different. In the glass, the Cocktail 44 began with an orange, woody, and grassy funk of a nose. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip fled into funky cachaça, cinnamon-like spice, and bitter-herbal orange flavors on the swallow.

el rosario

1 1/2 oz Novo Fogo Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
5 leaf Mint
1 pinch Black Pepper (2 cracks)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a mint leaf.Two Sundays ago, I returned to online recipe flashcards for the Paper Plane near Atlanta and became intrigued by El Rosario from their April 2014 menu. Fernet and cachaça have partnered well before in recipes like the Pencil Thin Mustache and Macunaima, so I was game to give it a whirl. In the glass, El Rosario welcomed the senses with a mint, menthol, and grassy bouquet. Next, caramel, lime, and honey notes on the sip elevated into funky rum, mint, herbal, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

ironbound

1 oz Cachaça (Avua Balsamo)
1 oz Laird's Bonded Applejack
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/6 oz 2:1 Demerara Syrup (1/4 oz 1:1)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make a drink called the Ironbound that I had spotted on a friend's Instagram post. The recipe was crafted by Mayur Subbaro who I first learned of when he collaborated with Avery and Janet Glasser of the Bittermens to open up Amor y Amaro in Manhattan back in 2011, and I was able to track down a potential source on Difford's Guide. Cachaça and apple brandy have worked together before in the Lowest Branch and Fantastic Fizz, so it seemed like a win here especially with the Benedictine as a binding agent similar to in the Shruff's End. Once stirred and strained, the Ironbound opened up with a lemon, apple, and wood bouquet. Next, a slightly caramel sip grew into funky cachaça, apple, herbal, spicy wood, and anise flavors on the swallow.

brazilian hardwood

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umburana)
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
1/8 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I began perusing an online flashcard set from Cane & Table in New Orleans. The split base Old Fashioned riff called Brazilian Hardwood called out to me, and I found a menu that listed it as a 2015 creation. The combination of amburana-aged cachaça and rye whiskey was one that I enjoyed in Backbar's Rye-O de Janeiro, and the spice notes inherent in the spirits were accented by falernum and aromatic bitters. Once assembled, the Brazilian Hardwood bloomed with an orange and balsa wood bouquet. Next, a semi-sweet sip grew into rye spice, cinnamon, balsa wood, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

cornerstone

1 1/2 oz Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/4 oz Fernet (Fernet Branca)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays prior, I was flipping through the Raising the Bar book by Jacob Grier and Brett Adams when I landed upon the Cornerstone by Dragon Axinte, founder of Novo Fogo Cachaça. I soon found a pair of references online that dated this drink to circa 2011, and Axinte crafted this after discovering Fernet as something that bartenders were into. Overall, the structure of spirit complemented by grenadine and Fernet reminded me of the Dickensian Villain and perhaps the Jim Rose (if you ignore the lime juice), so I was curious. Once stirred and strained, the Cornerstone showcased an orange oil, grassy funk, berry, and menthol aroma. Next, a red berry sip concluded with grassy melding into minty menthol flavors with red fruit undertones on the swallow.

lowest branch

1 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umbarana)
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/4 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1/8 oz Cane Syrup (Sirop de JM)
2 dash Bittermens Boston Bitters (Bittermens Burlesque)

Stir with ice and strain into a glass; the recipe did not specify a serving style, so I served it in an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Tuesdays prior, I came back to the online flashcards from the opening Seamstress (NYC) menu in 2015 and selected the Lowest Branch that reminded me of the French Connection but with cachaça and Calvados instead of aged rum and Cognac. Once in a glass, the Lowest Branch gave forth apple, nutty, and woody spice aromas. Next, apple and grape notes on the sip fell to funky cachaça, apple, and woody spice flavors on the swallow with a banana finish.

formal wednesdays

1 oz Henry McKenna Bonded Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 1/2 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Novo Fogo Aged Cachaça (Salinas Umburana)
1/8 oz Lemon Juice
1/8 oz Grenadine

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set from the Paper Plane in Atlanta, and I landed upon the Formal Wednesdays that sort of reminded me of the Little Giuseppe with the heavy Punt e Mes pour and a barspoon of lemon juice. The pairing of Bourbon and cachaça was one that I had only experienced in the Honor Amongst Thieves, so I was curious to try it here in this Maloney-style Manhattan (minus the apricot liqueur rinse). In the glass, the Formal Wednesdays greeted the senses with a lemon, grape, and floral wood bouquet. Next, grape and berry notes on the sip gave way to Bourbon, fruity, woody spice, herbal, and grape flavors on the swallow.

macunaima

1 3/4 oz Balm-Aged Cachaça (Avua Balsamo)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Shake with ice and strain into a single old fashioned glass.Two Fridays ago, I decided to make the Macunaíma that had just been published in Punch Drinks. The recipe was crafted by Arnaldo Hirai 2014 at the Boca de Ouro bar in São Paulo, Brazil, and he named this after an indigenous character in a book of that same name by author Mário de Andrade that was notable for shining a light on underrepresented parts of Brazilian culture. The drink itself took off due to its simplicity of ingredients yet complexity of flavor. Arnaldo utilizes a balm-aged cachaça which imparts clove and anise aromas as well as a hint of astringency that balances the cocktail. In the glass, the Macunaíma opened up with grassy, woody, earthy gentian, and menthol hints to the nose. Next, lime and caramel on the sip gave way to grassy, earthy-woody, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

the cachaça drink at lullaby

1 oz Amburana-aged Cachaça (Salinas)
1/2 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1/2 tsp Benedictine
4 dash Aquavit (1/8 oz Linie)
1 dash Orinoco Bitters (Bitter Cube Jamaica #2)
3 drop Saline Solution (1 pinch Salt)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with 3 skewered membrillo cubes (omit).Two Thursdays ago, I came across a recipe on Spirited from the Lullaby Bar in New York City called The Cachaça Drink. The cocktail was created by co-owner Harrison Snow; I met and wrote about Harrison right before the Pandemic when he was running Wit's End in Cambridge, and it reflects the drink build style he showed in the It's a Long, Long Way. Here, he was inspired by Amburana barrel-aged cachaça which called out to him to be stirred in an up fashion. Once prepared, The Cachaça Drink proffered mostly a grassy aroma given that I omitted the quince paste cubes as garnish. Next, a caramel and grape sip flowed into funky, grassy, nutty cherry, and spice flavors on the swallow.

rosa forteleza

1 1/4 oz Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Thursdays, I decided to make another recipe from the "Drinks of Drink" notebook called the Rosa Forteleza. The recipe was crafted by Misty Kalkofen at Drink and published in a 2011 Boston.com article along with the Two Orchard Thieves, Zocalo, and Sel de la Mer. The recipe surprised me since I had never had any cachaça creations of hers through the years. After a shake and a strain, the Rosa Forteleza sallied up with a grassy, funky, and grapefruit bouquet. Next, grapefruit, orange, and pear notes on the sip twirled into funky rum, grassy, and citrus flavors on the swallow.

cipher

1 1/2 oz Navazos Palazzi Overseas Malt Whiskey (Kavalan Classic)
1/2 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umburana)
1/4 oz Galliano Ristretto
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Miracle Mile Red Eye Bitters (Bitter Cube Corazon)
1 dash Absinthe (15 drop Copper & Kings)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to Death & Co.'s Welcome Home where the Cipher appeared like a great nightcap. This Old Fashioned of sorts was crafted by Sam Johnson in 2019, and like the Long Story Short two nights before, it utilized a 3:1 whiskey to sugar cane spirit split. In the glass, the Cipher generated an orange, coffee, floral, and wood aroma. Next, the coffee liqueur's roast notes flowed through the sip, and the swallow conjured whisky, woody, grassy, coffee, chocolate, and anise flavors.