don draper's bitter end

1 oz Rye (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Orange Liqueur (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao) (*)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fasioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) An adaptation added to the original recipe. Two Mondays ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across Don Draper's Bitter End created at Hank's Oyster Bar in Alexandria, Virginia, circa 2014. The recipe posted there was an adaptation of the original that included the addition of orange liqueur for sweetness. I found the rye, Fernet, and orange liqueur combination reminscent of the Alcazer from Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933, so I went with it. Once stirred and strained, the Don Draper's Bitter End gave forth orange, Cognac, caramel, and menthol aromas. Next, a caramel-driven sip soon advertised rye, Cognac, orange, bitter gentian, and minty-menthol flavors on the swallow.

scarab

3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Ginger Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with candied ginger on a pick. Two Tuesdays ago, I fired up the Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app, and the Scarab by Chris Hughes and Jon Nutter at Attaboy in Manhattan circa 2022 caught my attention. The Scarab is another part of the insect series of equal parts spirit, amaro, ginger syrup, and citrus that includes the mezcal-Campari Mosquito, applejack-Nardini Yellow Jacket, and mezcal-Braulio Dragon Fly. Moreover, I first experienced Smith & Cross paired with Fernet in my Bartender on Acid that was later served as a punch of the day at Drink in Boston back in 2010, so I was curious to see it in this format. Once shaken and strained, the Scarab opened up with a ginger, rum funk, and menthol aroma. Next, lime and caramel notes on the sip delved into ginger, rum funk, gentian, bitter herbal, and minty-menthol flavors on the swallow.

mai fernet has a first name

1 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz White Rum (2/3 oz Hamilton White 'Stache + 1/3 oz Wray & Nephew)
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a double old fashioned glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint bouquet (chocolate mint). Two Mondays ago, an intriguing drink appeared on my Instagram feed called Mai Fernet Has a First Name. It was created by Jason Dolley as a Mai Tai riff that is part of his "Will it Fernet?" series where he replaces a key ingredient with Fernet Branca. The Fernet-orange liqueur aspect reminded me of the century's old Alcazer where I learned how well the two pair, and Fernet-orgeat have paired well together in a number of cocktails including the Smoke Break. For a white rum, my mind went to Wray & Nephew for this recipe reminded me of the Bikini Atoll, but since Jason utilized the more mild Planteray Three Star Rum blend, I split the base for I did not want the funky Jamaican rum to take too big of a role. Once prepared, my senses were greeted with a mint, caramel, orange, and menthol aroma. Next, a creamy lime, caramel, and orange sip was displaced by funky rum, minty menthol, earthy, and orange flavors on the swallow. Overall, I was surprised at how Fernet seemed to subdue the orgeat's presence in the mix, but I was generally pleased at how Fernet worked in this combination.

wry grin

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
4 wedge Lemon (1/2 Lemon in quarters)
6-8 leaf Mint

Muddle lemon wedges and mint. Add rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint bouquet. Two Sundays ago, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and spied the Wry Grin by Sam Ross at Manhattan's Milk & Honey circa 2010 in the Smash section. Overall, it reminded me a little of the Job's Lament which did the rye-Fernet combination in Mint Julep form but with Amaro di Angostura instead of the simple and lemon here. In the glass, the Wry Grin greeted the senses with fresh mint over rye and menthol aromas. Next, lemon with a hint of caramel on the sip revealed rye whiskey, caramel, and minty-menthol flavors on the swallow.

job's lament

1 oz Fernet Branca (*)
1/2 oz Amaro di Angostura
1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101° Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
4 drop Scrappy's Cardamom Bitters (1 dash Bitter Housewife)
1 grip Mint (8 leaf)

Muddle mint leaves in a Julep cup, add the rest of the ingredients and crushed ice, swizzle to mix and chill, top with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint bouquet.
(*) Originally created with Fernet Vallet but it became unavailable. The Yelp menu photo has it as Branca. Two Thursdays prior, I ventured back to the online recipe flashcards from the Patterson House in Nashville and selected the Job's Lament especially since my mint was finally back up to speed. I was able to find a Yelp menu photo with the drink from February 2022, and it joins the other two laments on the blog, namely the Mayor's Lament and my Piglet's Lament (as a riff on Eeyore's Requiem). Overall, the recipe reminded me of Giuseppe Gonzalez's Magic Julep except with Amaro di Angostura and rye whiskey in place of Guiseppe's full ounce slug of Angostura Bitters. Once built, the Job's Lament proffered a mint aroma. Next, caramel from the two amari filled the sip, and the swallow rounded things up with minty, menthol, allspice, and clove flavors.

testarossa collins

1 1/2 oz Rhum Barbancourt Blanc (110°)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup 2:1 (1/2 oz Ginger Syrup 1:1 + 1/4 oz Simple Syrup)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass with 1 oz soda water, fill with ice, and garnish with a pineapple wedge (lime wheel). Two Wednesdays ago, I reached for my copy of the Cuban Cocktails: 100 Classic and Modern Drinks book from the Cienfuegos crew of Alla Lapushchik, Jane Danger, and Ravi DeRossi, and I happened on the Testarossa Collins by Tom Chadwick of Cienfuegos and Dram Bar. The book claims that Tom was inspired by the French house musician Kavinsky who crashed his Ferrari Testarossa in 1986 and then "mysteriously came back to life as a Zombie" with the Fernet representing the Italian sports car. Wikipedia declares that "The concept behind OutRun [Kavinsky's 2013 debut album named after a video game featuring a Ferrari] follows Kavinsky's backstory of a young man who crashed his Testarossa in 1986 and reappeared in 2006 as a zombie who produces electronic music." Overall, the recipe read like a rum and soda instead of completely Fernet-driven Cure for Immorality, so it seemed worthy of a go. In the glass, the Testarossa Collins opened up with a lime, grassy rhum funk, and ginger aroma. Next, a carbonated lime and pineapple sip drove into grassy rum, ginger, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

loose cannon

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Fernet-Vallet (Fernet Branca)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Sundays ago, I opened up my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and found the Loose Cannon by Brandon Bramhall at Last Saint in Charleston via the Manhattan section. The recipe made me think of the Alcazer from Pioneer of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 (rye, Fernet, orange liqueur), and the combination of whisk(e)y, Punt e Mes, and those two liqueurs can be found in the Scotland the Brave. In the glass, the Loose Cannon shot off with orange, grape, and minty aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip stepped aside for Bourbon, herbal, bitter menthol, and orange flavors on the swallow.

i'm not your mary

1 oz Wild Turkey (Rittenhouse Rye)
1 oz Bertoux Brandy (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
3 dash Smeby Black & White Bitters that are chocolate/vanilla (2 dash Savoy Society Chocolate Chicory + 2 dash Savoy Society Orange Vanilla)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with Fernet Branca. The identity of the whiskey as to Bourbon or rye (or the proof) was not mentioned, but I went with Rittenhouse Rye to split the difference since Wild Turkey Bourbon is a bit fiery. Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour and latched on to the I'm Not Your Mary as a Toronto riff taken by way of the Sazerac from the Winter 2022 menu. I was drawn in for it reminded me of the bar's All Bark, All Bite circa 2018 as a Toronto with a split rye and Scotch base with a smoky rinse. Once stirred and strained, the I'm Not Your Mary welcomed the nose with Fernet's minty and menthol aromas. Next, a lightly caramel sip unfurled into rye, brandy, chocolate, menthol, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

the mental demands of modern life

1 1/2 oz Altos Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
3/8 oz Fernet Branca
3/8 oz Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Regan's Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for the Patterson House in Nashville, and The Mental Demands of Modern Life called out to me especially since I had just replaced my bottle of Pedro Ximenez. A 2022 StarChefs article attributed the drink to bartender Sam McCullough. While the aged spirit, banana, and Fernet trio makes me think of the Away Colors, the closest drink that I have tried is a mezcal with vermouth version called Dead in the Water, and I created a gin with vermouth Hanky Panky riff called Monkey Business. The Mental Demands of Modern Life in the glass evolved an orange, raisin, and menthol aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip unloaded vegetal agave, cooked banana, raisin, gentian bitter, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

dirk diggler

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1 tsp Fernet Branca
2 dash Peach Bitters (Fee Brothers)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Saturdays ago, I opened up my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion and spotted in the Manhattan section a recipe called the Dirk Diggler by Lorenzo Antinori at Bar Leone in Hong Kong circa 2023. Overall, it read like a Moto Guzzi (originally equal parts Booker's Bourbon and Punt e Mes) met a Toronto. In the glass, the Dirk Diggler gave forth an orange, peach, and minty aroma. Next, grape notes on the sip boogied on over to rye, bitter herbal, and menthol flavors on the swallow with a peach and clove finish.

winterbird

1 1/2 oz Dark Rum (Coruba)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
4 dash Angostura Bitters

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass or ceramic mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with an orange quarter wheel (half slice) and a cherry. Two Thursdays ago, I decided to make a drink that I spotted on Facebook's Tiki Recipes group called the Winterbird. I was able to trace it back to a Liquor.com which attributed this winterized Jungle Bird riff to Randy Hayden at Nine Mile Station in Atlanta. To me, it seemed more like a 1941 Here's How Zombie with a stripped down rum base plus orange juice and Fernet more than a Jungle Bird proper. In the mug, the Winterbird flitted to the nose with a caramel, menthol, and apricot aroma. Next, caramel, lime, and orange notes on the sip landed on funky dark rum, minty-menthol, pineapple, and apricot flavors on the swallow.

barroom hero

1 oz Angostura Bitters
1 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Giffard Orgeat (homemade Orgeat)
1 1/4 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 spray Tahitian Vanilla (1 dash Savoy Society Orange Vanilla)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a flamed (unflamed) orange twist. Two Wednesdays ago, I bought the four volume set of Kahuna Kevin's Tiki Cocktails books as PDFs from the author via Etsy. From the fourth volume, I was lured in by Kahuna Kevin's Barroom Hero that read like a hybrid of two of Giuseppe Gonzalez's drinks: the Trinidad Sour and the Magic Julep. Perhaps, Kevin named his drink after the Dropkick Murphys song, although the protagonist in that song only drank [high]balls and beer. Once shaken and strained, the Barroom Hero lurched to the nose with an orange, allspice, and minty aroma. Next, a creamy lime sip opened up into minty-menthol, almond, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Given the ingredients and amounts here, Bartender Hero might be an appropriate name too for I have drank more Fernet and Angostura shots with my fellow bartenders than I have ever on my own.

stingray

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 drop Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist. Sunday two weeks ago, I grabbed my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion, and I soon landed upon the Stingray by Felix Woods at The Everleigh in Melbourne 2018 as perhaps a rye Hanky Panky. I previously had a Bourbon Hanky Panky riff without the Stingray's mole bitters called the Ada's Shadow, and a more spirits-driven rye one seemed worthy of a go. Also of note was Eastern Standard's rye-based Fernet Cocktail that called for Punt e Mes and orange bitters instead of regular sweet vermouth and mole. In the glass, the Stingray swam to the senses with an orange, grape, and minty-herbal aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip surfaced towards rye, herbal, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

snowbirds & townies

1 1/2 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Dry Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make a drink called the Snowbirds & Townies that I spotted in the KindredCocktails database. It was created by Tonia Guffey at Brooklyn's Dram circa 2013 and was first published by Robert Simonson in the New York Times. Tonia named the drink after a song about winter by the group Further Seems Forever and based the flavor profile on the chocolate-orange candies she used to get every Christmas. She mollified the bitterness of Fernet with a trio of sweet holiday flavors: orange, cocoa, and cinnamon. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Alligator with orange juice and crème de cacao in the mix (plus lemon for lime). In the glass, the Snowbirds & Townies mingled with a chocolate and minty aroma. Next, lemon and orange notes on the sip opened up to bitter menthol, chocolate, cinnamon, and orange flavors on the swallow.

nova scotia

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (2 oz Evan Williams Bonded)
1/3 oz Islay Scotch (>1/2 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca (1/3 oz)
1/4 oz Honey Syrup (1/3 oz)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Saturdays ago, I opened up The Madrusan Cocktail Companion and became enchanted with the Nova Scotia as a Toronto riff by Paul Hammond and Priscilla Leong now of The Flowing Bowl Cocktail Company in Melbourne, Australia. Overall, it reminded me of the rye-Speyside Scotch Toronto riff, All Bark, All Bite from the Violet Hour that I discovered in the Bartender's Manifesto two years ago. In the glass, the Nova Scotia approached the nose with a lemon, floral, and peat smoke bouquet. Next, honey and malt notes on the sip transitioned into smoky whiskey flavors accented with bitter minty menthol on the swallow.

aztec death whistle

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Orange Liqueur (Bauchant)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca (*)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass (or Tiki mug) with ice. Garnish with orange oil or an orange twist (a later addition than the first photo).
(*) Fernet Vallet, a Mexican Fernet, worked just as well as Fernet Branca at work if not better at work. At Gato Exotico, we have a Tiki-style mug in the form of an Aztec death whistle that was too small for our Margaritas and needed a use. It was also thought that something more aggressive needed to accompany a mug of that name, so I set to work at home. My creation started as an abstraction of the Don't Give Up the Ship that swapped the gin and Dubonnet for mezcal and chile liqueur. Ancho Reyes and Fernet have worked well in one of the versions of My Name is Nobody, and Ancho Reyes and orange liqueur have been great in drinks like Third Times' the Charm. The drink and the mug were named after a type of whistle used by the Aztecs to produce a high-pitched human-like shrieking sound. It was originally believed that it was used to scare off their enemies in war, but after finding it in the hands of a sacrificial victim, it may have been ceremonial or perhaps functioning in both capacities. At home, the Aztec Death Whistle served like an Old Fashioned (before an orange twist was added) gave forth smoky, roasty, vegetal, and minty aromas. Next, an orange-driven sip expanded into smoky, spicy pepper, and bitter menthol flavors on the swallow. At Gato Exotico, the team tried it with Fernet Branca, Amargo Vallet, and Fernet Vallet, and the Mexican Fernet seemed to be the favorite. My manager felt it needed a citrus twist, and orange won out over lemon. Also, since the mug is branded to Espolon, the spirit will probably change to an equal split of Espolon Tequila and Montelobos Mezcal (same portfolio) keeping all other things equal. There will also need to be a change to a shorter and thinner straw since it is more difficult to enjoy a higher proof Old Fashioned-style drink with a wider and thus higher volume straw.

bid farewell

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1/2 oz Vanilla Syrup
2 dash Walnut Bitters (4 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs)

No instructions were given but I interpretted this as an Old Fashioned so I stirred with ice and strained into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. A citrus twist such as lemon or orange would not be out of place here and would probably round out the bouquet. Two Sundays ago, I returned to my notes from a set of online recipe flashcards for the Boise, Idaho, location of Tavolata where I previously found the Golden Eagle. There, I selected the Bid Farewell from their current menu as a Toronto accented with Donn's Spices #2. Moreover, Fernet has been been paired with allspice dram in a few drinks including the Colonial Bastard and The Aftermath, so I was curious to see how it would be mollified with vanilla syrup. In the glass, the Bid Farewell gave forth a vanilla, Bourbon, and allspice bouquet. Next, light caramel notes on the sip flowed into Bourbon, vanilla, allspice, and bitter minty-menthol flavors on the swallow.

ghost rider

3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with candied ginger. Two Wednesdays ago, I became inspired by the Maraschino, ginger, and lime trio in the Hitman from Dutch Kills and I mashed it up with the Ferrari (Fernet-Campari duo). Previously, I did a similar Ferrari mashup in the Blank Hand Society using the Gilda as the other inspiration point. For a name, I dubbed this one the Ghost Rider after a 1977 song from the synth-punk band Suicide that was a nod to a Marvel Comics character. In the glass, the Ghost Rider screamed the truth with a menthol, ginger, and nutty cherry aroma. Next, lime and caramel notes on the sip rode off towards caramel, minty, menthol, and bitter nutty cherry-orange flavors on the swallow.

smoke break

1 1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Famous Grouse Smoky Black Scotch
1 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau Amontillado)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with 3 spritz Laphroaig Scotch (12 drops). Two Sundays ago, I was looking through online recipe flashcards, and I spotted the Smoke Break at the now closed La Moule in Portland, Oregon, and dated to around 2021 through a GoogleMaps menu photo. Besides having Trinidad Sour vibes, with the Fernet, it came across a little like the Golden Gate Swizzle but with some Scotch and a touch of oxidized sherry to enrich the orgeat's notes notes (and here no falernum). In the glass, the Smoke Break clocked out with a peat smoke, nutty, and menthol aroma. Next, a creamy lemon sip exhaled into an almond, minty, and menthol swallow that was overall rather mellow for a Fernet-driven recipe.

el burladero

2 oz Spanish Brandy (Gran Duque d'Alba)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
1/8 oz Cane Syrup (Sirop JM)
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist. Another recipe that I wanted to make with my sample bottle of Gran Duque d'Alba was a recipe on the Bartender's Choice app that called for Spanish brandy named El Burladero. The drink was created by Brandon Bramhall at Attaboy's Nashville branch in 2018, and a burladero is a wooden panel in a bullring near the wall to offer a safe space for bullfighters. Since coffee liqueur and Fernet have worked well in the Queen Village, Mount Makana, and Don't Flip Out, I was curious to see how it would modify a sherry-driven brandy. In the glass, El Burladero gave forth orange, sherry, coffee, and mint aromas. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip eluded brandy, nutty, coffee, menthol, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.