gravedigger

3/4 oz Aged Rhum Agricole (Rhum Clement VSOP)
3/4 oz Amaro Nardini
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Fridays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app and spied the Gravedigger by Chris Hughes at Manhattan's Attaboy circa 2025. The equal part stirred drink with vermouth and amaro elements reminded me of the Last Mechanical Art, and the bitter liqueur-vermouth-Cointreau combination made me think of the Lucien Gaudin. Moreover, the only Nardini-rhum agricole drink on the blog is the Adventures Close to Home, so I was curious to try one that was not my creation. Once mixed, the Gravedigger prepared an orange, grassy, and caramel aroma. Next, orange and caramel notes on the sip led into grassy rum, caramel orange, apricot, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

10 gallon hattan

2 oz Corazon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Casa d'Aristi Narano (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
1/8 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago, and I honed in on the 10 Gallon Hattan from Fall 2022 menu. The bar's Instagram post from October 2022 described how it was "A tequila-based twist on a classic Manhattan – boozy and forward featuring notes of allspice and bitter orange." While I did not have Casa d'Aristi's somewhat bitter orange liqueur, the similarities to the Sherpa with curaçao and allspice dram lured me in. When prepared with Pierre Ferrand's curaçao, the 10 Gallon Hattan rode high with roasted vegetal aromas and a hint of vanilla. Grape, orange, and caramelized notes on the sip slid into tequila, bitter herbal, allspice, and orange flavors on the swallow.

fire lily

1 1/2 oz Ford's Gin
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1/4 oz Crème de Violette (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Thai Chili Firewater Tincture (3 dash my Hellfire Bitters)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Fridays ago, I turned to the Martini section of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book, and I was drawn in by the Fire Lily that was created by Eric Alperin at The Varnish in Los Angeles as perhaps a riff on the Water Lily from Little Branch. Eric converted the Sour into a smoky and spicy Martini-style drink, but given the straight spirits nature, it slightly reminded me of the White Lily too. It also gave me a reason to use my bottle of violette for the second time that week that I had not dusted off since I made the Final Say last summer. Once prepared, the Fire Lily lept off with an orange, vegetal, floral, and pine aroma. Next, a hint of orange on the sip blossomed into gin, smoke vegetal, floral orange, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

megalodon's fang

1 1/2 oz Planteray Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
3/4 oz London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)
1/4 oz Cointreau
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Lemon Juice (*)
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1 tsp Grenadine
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Whip shake with crushed ice, strain into a Megalodon Relic Tiki mug (Pirhana mug), and garnish with mint sprigs and a dehydrated grapefruit wheel (grapefruit twist only).
(*) My guess is that there will be no harm if the lemon juice is omitted and the lime is upped to 1 oz (I happened to have a sample of lemon superjuice on hand to save juicing 3 fruits for this recipe). For another recipe for my new Tiki mug acquisition, I opted for the Megalodon's Fang from a collection of Tikiland Trading Co.'s recipes that were posted on Reddit's Tiki forum. The Megalodon's Fang was perhaps a riff on Trader Vic's Shark's Tooth No. 1 from the 1940s and probably not the Cobra's Fang. It was created by Kelly Merrell at Trader Sam's at Disneyland and included as a recipe card to accompany Tikiland Trading's Megalodon Relic mug. Once prepared, the Megalodon's Fang siezed onto grapefruit and dark spice aromas. Next, a trio of grapefruit, lime, and lemon notes on the sip swam towards pineapple, pine, berry, and clove flavors on the swallow.

between the sheets (dale degroff)

1 1/2 oz Brandy (Courvoisier VS Cognac)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass with an optional sugar rim, and garnish with a flamed orange peel (unflamed). Two Mondays ago, I listened to Dale DeGroff's episode on on Tristan Stephenson's The Curious Bartender podcast. There, Dale described when he was putting together a program for Joe Baum, he found a Between the Sheets recipe in the 1951 Bottoms Up book from the Detroit Wonder Bar that called for Benedictine instead of rum (a rich equal three parter that recipe lacked lemon juice). Dale felt that the rum in the classic Between the Sheets confused things, so he mashed up both recipes for his menu to make it more of a Sidecar riff. That night, I sourced the recipe from his 2002 The Craft of the Cocktail book. The combination was very similar to the mid-century They Shall Inherit the Earth from the Esquire's The Art of Mixing Drinks as well as the apple brandy Honeymoon Cocktail, but I still felt that it was still important to try Dale's take on it. Once shaken and strained, Dale's version blossomed wihth orange and Cognac aromas. Next, lemon and orange notes on the sip akin to a Sidecar led into brandy, herbal, and orange flavors on the swallow.

spanish revival

3/4 oz Ocho Plata Tequila (Arette Blanco)
3/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass rinsed with absinthe (St. George), and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I uncovered a collection of online recipe flashcards for the newly opened Williams & Graham location at the Denver Airport. The drink I picked off their inaugural list was the Spanish Revival, and I spotted this Corpse Reviver #2 riff on the bar's menu via an Instagram post in June. Overall, the recipe reminded me of the Soy Capitan that I made in late May but with Cointreau and absinthe instead of Aperol. In the glass, the Spanish Revival gave forth a grapefruit, anise, and orange aroma. Next, lemon, orange, and melon notes on the sip unfurled into tequila, grapefruit, and anise flavors on the swallow.

fairy tale story

1 1/2 oz Broker's Gin (Fords)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Cointreau

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago, I got home late and was in the mood for something easier and quicker to make than the previous evening's Tiki-for-two, and I soon landed on the Fairy Tale Story. This stirred gin drink that I sourced from online recipe flashcards was created at the Good Neighbor Bar in Los Angeles, and I spotted it on a recent menu on Yelp. Overall, it reminded me at first a little of the Franken Jack but with Aperol instead of apricot liqueur, and later of No. 9's Negroni riff the Contessa with gin, dry vermouth, and Aperol crossed with their other Negroni riff the Patrician with gin and Cointreau. Once stirred and strained, the Fairy Tale Story opened up with lemon oil and orange aromas. Next, a semi-sweet orange and white grape sip transformed into juniper, orange, and a hint of fruity and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

forbidden forest

1 1/2 oz Courvoisier VSOP Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a dehydrated apple slice (omit).Two Sundays prior, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards for Butcher Chef in Toronto, and I spotted the Forbidden Forest. This circa 2021 cocktail read like an apple-tinged Prospector Cocktail, and it was perhaps a Harry Potter reference to the dark forest that borders the edges of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once mixed, the Forbidden Forest teased the nose with Cognac, apple, and herbal aromas. Next, apple and orange notes on the sip were ensnared by brandy, herbaceous, orange, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

polynesian paradise

1 1/2 oz Gold Rum (Planteray Isle of Fiji)
1 tsp Brown Sugar
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Sperone)
1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)

Stir brown sugar and lime juice to dissolve. Add the rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Saturdays ago, I reached for my copy of Stan Jones' 1977 Jones' Complete Barguide and spotted the Polynesian Paradise. The recipe reminded me of a Floridita in style: rum, lime, vermouth, and two sweeteners that I mirrored in the Devil Walking Next to Me and Creolita, and a Daiquiri riff sounded like a perfect way to end the evening. Once shaken and strained, the Polynesian Paradise welcomed the senses with a rum funk, lime, and brown sugar aroma. Next, lime, molasses, and grape notes on the sip sailed away towards rum, brown sugar, orange, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

velvet death

1 1/2 oz Death's Door Gin (Tree House Brewing Percy's)
3/4 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 bsp Absinthe (1/12 oz or 1/2 tsp Kübler)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a flamed orange or lemon twist (unflamed lemon twist).Two Thursdays ago, I was perusing online recipe flashcards when I found the Velvet Death from Culinary Dropout in Tucson, Arizona. I soon found another set's recipe which varied by garnish and absinthe amount and delivery (one was a vague "top with absinthe" and the other was a barspoon of Matahari absinthe in the shake). I also found an article that described the drink as "a tart Corpse Reviver"; however, it reminded me more of a gin Royal Bermuda Yacht Club with absinthe or a gin Test Pilot minus bitters. In the glass, the Velvet Death summoned lemon, orange, pine, and anise aromas. Next, a lemon and orange sip crept into gin, orange, clove, and anise flavors on the swallow.

satan's mustache (shaved)

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cointreau (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)
12 drop Hellfire Bitters (2 dash of my 2009 batch)
3 drop Thai Chili (omit)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass rimmed with orange chili salt (microplaned orange zest, cayenne powder, salt).Two Thursdays prior, I spotted an interesting recipe in Teardrop Lounge's section of friends' drinks via online recipe flashcards called the Satan's Mustache (Shaved). It was attributed to Seattle bartender Jay Kuehner of Seattle as a crafty riff on the gin classic the Satan's Whiskers which itself is a riff on the Bronx. Here, it had mezcal instead of gin, omitted the orange juice, and had a spicy aspect to it. The "(Shaved)" part of the name is a reference to how the gin classic had a straight and curled version with the straight one using Grand Marnier instead of curaçao; perhaps the salted rim here is Satan's stubble? Once prepared, this curious drink began with a smoky mezcal and orange aroma. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip smirked at vegetal, smoke, orange, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

water line

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Linie Aquavit
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Cointreau
(1/8 oz Demerara Syrup as my addition for balance)
2 dash Fee's Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Fee's Walnut Bitters (2 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixir)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass (coupe), and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays previous, I began searching the KindredCocktails database for drink ideas. There, I landed on the Water Line by Sara Rosales, a Seattle bartender and co-owner of Lady Jaye, circa 2013. The spirits balanced merely by Cynar and an orange liqueur had worked so well in the Devil in a Boot and Hugo Ball, that I was keen on trying this one. Moreover, rye-aquavit combination has been great in cocktails like The Staggerly and in my creations like the Day Old Bread that I was ready to stir this one up. Once done, the Water Line showcased an orange, caramel, rye, and caraway aroma. Next, a caramel orange sip rose to rye, caraway, and herbal orange swallow.

first blossom

1 oz Beefeater Gin
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail (coupe) glass.Two Mondays ago, I picked up the second volume of Jill DeGroff's Lush Life: Portraits from the Bar to look at the artwork and read the anecdotes about the bar characters within, and there I spotted an interesting recipe from Dale DeGroff called the First Blossom. The drink reminded me of a Corpse Reviver #2 mashed up with Sam Ross' Sunflower minus the absinthe component in both. Once prepared, the First Blossom bloomed with an orange, pine, floral, and grapefruit bouquet. Next, a lemon and orange sip developed into gin, pear, grapefruit, and floral flavors on the swallow.

doctor q

1 oz Añejo Rum (Don Q Gran Añejo)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Becherovka
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Combier Orange Liqueur (Cointreau)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Saturdays ago, I was scanning a pre-Pandemic bartender's recipe collection from Eastern Standard in Boston, and I came across the Doctor Q which utilized Becherovka that I was first introduced to at that bar via the Metamorphosis back in 2007. I was able to find a February 2014 menu photo on Yelp which gave the clue that Doctor Q was made with an "aged Puerto Rican rum", and along with the name, I surmised that the producer was Don Q. Once shaken and strained, the Doctor Q prescribed an orange and cinnamon aroma. Next, a lemon sip conjured up rum, orange, cinnamon, and clove flavors on the swallow. Overall, the combination was rather autumnal and made me think of the Winter Daiquiri.

daddy issues

1 1/2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Averna
1/4 oz Cherry Heering
1/4 oz Combier (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, I uncovered a set of online recipe flashcards for Mr. Mao in New Orleans. In a September 2021 set, I latched onto the intriguingly named Daddy Issues by beverage director William Greenwell, and I confirmed it via a November 2021 drink of the week post on The Whiskey Lifestyle site that identified the creator. Given the timing, the drink was either on the opening menu in July 2021 or soon after. I described it in a comment on my Instagram post as "It's like a Black Manhattan got crossed with a Remember the Maine. Not something that I'd come up with but I'm happy to have tried this one!", and bartender Kevin Peterson replied there, "Black Manhattan meets El Presidente + bitter Cherry Heering. Open to the possibility." The combination of Cherry Heering and Averna was one that I enjoyed in the Simon, so I was game to give this one a try. In the glass, the Daddy Issues began with caramel and cherry aromas. Next, caramel and dark fruit on the sip fells aside to Bourbon, herbal, cherry, and orange flavors on the swallow.

four corners

3/4 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Combier (Cointreau)
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Absinthe (12 drop St. George)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist (orange twist).Two Tuesdays ago, I was skimming an online set of Sasha Petraske-related recipe flashcards when I found the Four Corners. I then checked the Bartender's Choice app and uncovered that it was crafted by Brandon Bramhall at Nashville's Attaboy in 2017. The app lacked the absinthe aspect, but I included the Corpse Reviver #2 accent from the flashcard. Moreover, with the absinthe, it reminded me of Scott Holliday's Johnny Jump Up which had Cocchi Americano instead of the Four Corners' Aperol. In the glass, the Four Corners displayed an orange, apple, and licorice nose. Next, lemon, orange, and rhubarb notes on the sip ended on apple, creamy orange, and anise flavors on the swallow.

pale rider

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cointreau
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice. The recipe lacked serving style or garnish, but the bar's website's menu has a rocks glass symbol next to it, and I added a large ice cube and a grapefruit twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for Erick Castro's new project in San Diego, namely Gilly's House of Cocktails. There, the Pale Rider called out to me as an agave Joy Division without absinthe or perhaps an agave Lucien Gaudin minus the Campari, so I was intrigued with this stirred number. Once prepared, the Pale Rider galloped to the nose with a grapefruit and agave aroma. Next, a semi-sweet sip rode into smoky agave, orange peel, and clove flavors on the swallow.

the southern point

3/4 oz Apple Brandy (Morin Selection Calvados)
3/4 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Orange Liqueur (Cointreau)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass pre-rinsed with absinthe (Pernod Absinthe).Two Fridays ago, I opened up the Raising the Bar book by Jacob Grier and Brett Adams and spotted Eryn Reece's Southern Point. I was able to track down the recipe to a 2010 post on the St. Germain Cocktails blog which would place it before her time at Death & Co. in Manhattan which began in 2011. The combination fell between Sam Ross' Sunflower of a Corpse Reviver #2 with elderflower instead of Lillet and Scott Holliday's Johnny Jump Up of a Corpse Reviver #2 with apple brandy instead of gin. In the glass, the Southern Point opened up to the nose with apple, black licorice, orange, and floral aromas. Next, lemon and grapefruit notes on the sip relaxed into apple, orange, and licorice flavors on the swallow.

juarez

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with a lime wedge (coupe, no ice, no garnish).Two Mondays ago, I reached for T. Cole Newton's Cocktail Dive Bar book and spotted the Juarez which was a Margarita riff created at Twelve Mile Limit in New Orleans. The combination reminded me of the brandy-lemon Knight from David Embury that I used to transform into tequila or mezcal plus lime at Drink. Once prepared, the Juarez showcased a lime, vegetal agave, orange, and herbaceous aroma. Next, lime and orange notes on the sip akin to a Margarita slid into tequila meding into Chartreuse herbaceous flavors on the swallow with an orange-tinged finish.

home on the range

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/4 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist and a lemon twist (lemon only).Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted a Sasha Petraske take on a classic called Home on the Range in a set of online flashcards. I was able to confirm the recipe on Difford's Guide and later in Regarding Cocktails, and I then reached for my copy of Crosby Gaige's 1941 Cocktail Guide & Ladies' Companion to see the original:

Home on the Range (original)
• 1/2 Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 Dubonnet
• 3 dash Cointreau
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• 1 peel Orange
• 1 peel Lemon
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

With Sasha's tweaks, his version of Home on the Range proffered lemon, allspice, cinnamon, and orange aromas. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip opened up into Bourbon, orange, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Overall, the balance came off a bit hot and prospered with extra dilution over time; perhaps a barspoon of Demerara syrup could round off the rough edges on this combination or perhaps using an 80° proof spirit instead of a bonded one.