where it all begins

1 1/2 oz Chattanooga High Malt Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters

No instructions were provided, so I stirred with ice, strained into a cocktail coupe, and garnished with a cherry. Two Wednesdays ago, I uncovered an online recipe flashcard set for Nashville's Pinewood Social and selected the Where It All Begins from a 2021 collection, and I was able to confirm the drink's ingredients in a GoogleMaps menu photo. This Manhattan variation launched off with a cherry and dark grape aroma. Next, grape and sweet citrus notes on the sip slipped into Bourbon, bitter, bright orange-lemon, vanilla, and peppery flavors on the swallow. If I were to make this again, I would decrease the Licor 43 amount or even swap the volumes with Amaro Abano, for the balance came across a bit sweet and bright for me; often a quarter ounce of Licor 43 in a stirred drink is plenty such as in the Signals, Calls, & Marches.

rest in pieces of eight

1 1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
>1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
1/4 oz Licor 43
>1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice. Strain into a Collins glass with ice (double old fashioned with a large ice cube) pre-rinsed with Cruzan Black Strap Rum. After making a fresh batch of ginger syrup, I perused Kindred Cocktails and spotted the Rest in Pieces of Eight by Doug Monroe at Nashville's The Patterson House that he entered into the database in 2012. The name seems to be a play on the pirate phrases "rest in peace" and "pieces of eight." Given that aspect, I expected some overlap with the tropical classic Pieces of Eight, but there was only rum and lemon in common. Once mixed, the Rest in Pieces of Eight put forth a molasses aroma from the black strap rum rinse. Next, a creamy caramel and lemon sip subsided into funky rum, funky herbal, ginger, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

trust falls

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/4 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, I uncovered the Trust Falls from a collection of recipes from Too Soon in Portland, Oregon. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Sherpa except with the Bourbon split with Cognac and citrus-driven Licor 43 replacing the curaçao. Moveover, the name made me think of the recurrent bit in office comedy series The Chit Show. Once prepared, the Trust Falls launched off with an orange, vanilla, and allspice aroma. Next, a slightly citrussy sip opened up into whiskey, brandy, allspice, and orange flavors on the swallow.

hierophant

3/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
3/4 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Licor 43
3/4 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a cherry. Two Tuesdays prior, I returned to an online set of recipe flashcards from Attaboy in Manhattan and was lured in by the Hierophant. The Weekly Cock Tale substack wrote about this split-base drink along with a photo in 2023 after asking the bartender for something boozy and sweet. In an effort to improve my vocabulary, I learned that a hierophant is a priest in Ancient Greece who interpreted sacred mysteries and esoteric principles; it is also a Tarot card that signifies a search for spiritual guidance. Here, the spirit, sherry, and Licor 43 combination reminds me of Eastern Standard drinks like the Ponce de Leon and Black Douglas, so I was curious to try this one even with the larger than average amount of Licor 43 here. In the glass, the Hierophant called forth with a peat smoke, grape, citrus, and vanilla aroma. Next, a sweet grape sip revealed smoky whisky, rich grape from the Cognac and sherry, vanilla, and orange flavors on the swallow.

king kopeika

1 oz Planteray OFTD Rum
1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Absinthe (6 drop St. George)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Tiki mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with freshly grated coffee bean and grated cinnamon. Two Saturdays ago, I became inspired by the Carajillo and the Carajillo Old Fashioned that I had two weeks prior. I soon thought about my mezcal Mr. Bali Hai (same as the classic but with the spirit change and some of the simple swapped for cinnamon syrup) and Smuggler's Cove's Expedition. Mezcal and OFTD rum paired well together in the Final Destination Zombie and my Lahaine Noon, so I went with my inclination to use them as the base. For a name, I dubbed this one King Kopeika after Hawaiian for espresso ("kope" for coffee and "ika" for strong). Once prepared, King Kopeika granted the nose a cinnamon and roasted coffee aroma. Next, roast, caramel, pineapple, and lemon notes on the sip decreed burly rum, smoky vegetal, coffee, vanilla, citrus, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

carajillo old fashioned

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/4 oz Coffee Liqueur (Mr. Black)
1/4 oz Licor 43

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with 3 coffee beans. On Instagram, I noticed a few friends posting about two similar drinks called the Carajillo Old Fashioned. The Carajillo is a drink created in Spain that moved to Latin America, and it consists of espresso or coffee mixed with Licor 43 (or sometimes a coffee liqueur or spirit). The one I selected led to The Educated Barfly where host Leandro DiMonriva found it in The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book that attributed it to Sean O'Connor-Combes at J & Tony's Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse in San Diego in 2022. The other recipe floating around is one that Jordan Hughes, the High Proof Preacher, came up with in 2025 that uses reposado tequila, a little more Licor 43, and bitters, but I opted for the older recipe. While I have tried a Carajillo and a stirred espresso-laden variation before, the closest recipe to this on the blog is the Raining on 110th St. that is a rye Manhattan with accents of Licor 43 and coffee. In the glass, the 2022-era Carajillo Old Fashioned launched off with a coffee and vanilla bouquet. Next, a roast-driven sip landed on rye, brandy, vanilla, citrus, and bitter coffee flavors on the swallow.

mile high

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Nocino (Russo)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
2 dash Absinthe (16 drop St. George)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

There were no instructions provided, so I stirred with ice, strained into a coupe glass, and garnished with a cherry.Two Sundays ago for the cocktail hour, I returned to online recipe flashcards from Sundry & Vice and spotted the Mile High as an interesting Manhattan variation. I spotted the drink on a menu photo on GoogleMaps at their Cincinnati location and in a review on Yelp for their newer Indianopolis spot. Once prepared, the Mile High took off with cherry, vanilla, walnut, and anise aromas. Next, the citrus and white grape notes on the sip excused themselves and joined Bourbon, walnut, vanilla, cherry, and anise flavors on the swallow. Overall, I was impressed at how the bright notes of Licor 43 were balanced out by the darker ones from the walnut liqueur.

treaty of paris

1 oz Knob Creek Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
3/4 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/4 oz Licor 43
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry and a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I came across an online recipe flashcard set for the Baldwin & Sons Trading Co. in Woburn, MA, and I decided to make the Treaty of Paris. While this drink appears on their current menu, I found a menu photo that places it as early March 2017. The combination of Lustau East India Solera Sherry and Licor 43 is one favored by the Eastern Standard crew in the Black Douglas and Ponce de Leon; moreover, Equal Measure utilized that with the addition of Averna in their Velveteen. Once prepared, the Treaty of Paris brought forth lemon, Cognac, and nutty sherry aromas to the nose. Next, a grape-driven sip stepped aside for Bourbon, Cognac, raisin, citrus, vanilla, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

velveteen

1 oz Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey
1 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/4 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Averna
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, I made my way over to Equal Measure to attend Robert Simonson's book party in honor of his The Encyclopedia of Cocktails. For the event, there was a short menu of drinks from the book, and the only one that I had not had before (other than a clarified Cosmopolitan which was a merging of the entries for clarification and that vodka libation) was the Velveteen that bartender Eliza Hoar created for the occasion. I commented to my friend that it was very on brand and then explained how Eastern Standard and the Hawthorne loved Lustau's East India Solera Sherry including pairing it with Irish whiskey in the Goodnight Irene and with Licor 43 in the Black Douglas. Once prepared, the Velveteen opened up with an aroma of orange, vanilla, and darker nutty notes from the sherry. Next, grape and caramel mingled on the sip, and this was chased by soft whiskey, raisin, dark herbal, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

raining on 110th st

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 1/2 oz Vermouth Blend (1 1/8 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth + 3/8 oz Punt e Mes)
5 dash Coffee Tincture (1/8 oz Mr. Black Liqueur)
1/8 oz Licor 43

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to Punch's article on Manhattan variations where I sourced the Long Look Back and found the Raining on 110th St. The recipe was crafted by Carlton Dunlap of Portland, Oregon, and the combination with Licor 43 and sweet vermouth made me think of the Signals, Calls, & Marches despite that one being a gin drink instead of rye whiskey. Although the article did not specify, the cocktail could be named for the Los Lobos song "Wicked Rain / Across 110th Street". Once prepared, the Raining on 110th St began with an orange and vanilla nose. Next, a grape-driven sip trickled into rye, coffee, vanilla, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

noriko

1 oz Old Grand-Dad Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/4 oz Licor 43
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays, I returned to the online flashcard set for the Dram Shop bar's Covid menu. There, the Noriko called out as reminsicent of a Manhattan Harbor Co. accented with Licor 43 and molé bitters. Once prepared, the Noriko welcomed the senses with an orange, vanilla, and nutty bouquet. Next, orchard fruit and grape on the sip flipped into Bourbon, raisin, orange, citrus, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

quiet coast

1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire Premiere Cru Gin (Bombay Sapphire East)
3/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Cardamom Bitters (The Bitter House Wife)
1 dash Saline (1 pinch Salt)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an edible flower (ornamental pea plant blossom).Two Sundays ago, I revisited the July/August 2023 issue of Imbibe Magazine to make another recipe that I had spotted there – namely, the Quiet Coast by Meaghan Dorman of New York City's Raines Law Room and Dear Irving. This gin Sour conjured up a lemon, citrus, and pine aroma. Next, lemon, pear, and nectarine notes on the sip crept up on gin, vanilla, and cardamom flavors on the swallow.

tijuana lady

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1 oz Licor 43
3/4 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and spied the Tijuana Lady created in 2008 by Michael Madrusan at Little Branch in Manhattan. Since Licor 43 had worked well with tequila in the Camerone and I had a few limes kicking around in the fridge, I set to work. The Tijuana Lady welcomed the senses with vegetal agave, vanilla, and mango aromas. Next, lime and tropical notes on the sip twirled into tequila, orange, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

trouble & desire

2 oz El Dorado 5 Year Rum
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Licor 43
3/4 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured back into Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix'Em and spied the Trouble & Desire. This rum Manhattan of sorts akin to Eastern Standard's Ponce de Leon was created by Michael Yusko at Cure who named it after a line from Hal Hartley's 1992 movie Simple Men where a character exclaims, "There is no such thing as adventure. There is no such thing as romance. There's only trouble and desire." Once prepared, the Trouble & Desire gave forth an orange, caramel, and vanilla nose. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip flowed into funky rum, citrus, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

camerone

2 oz Reposado Tequila (Lunazul)
3/4 oz Amer Picon (Torani Amer)
1/4 oz Licor 43
2 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the Bittermens site and spotted the Camerone created by Paul Clarke. Paul crafted this drink for his The Cocktail Chronicles blog's review of the Bittermens' initial lineup in 2008, and the recipe reminded me a less herbal Jaguar. Once prepared, the Camerone proffered an agave, orange, and vanilla bouquet to the nose. Next, a caramel sip slinked into tequila, bitter orange, and vanilla notes on the swallow with a bright citrus peel and chocolate finish.

nail in the coffin

1 1/2 oz Yamazaki 12 Year Single Malt (Kavalan Classic)
3/4 oz Rainwater Madeira (Blandy's 5 Year Verdelho)
1/2 oz Licor 43 or Other Vanilla Liqueur (Licor 43)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with grated black cardamom.
Two Saturdays ago, I returned to Daniel Yaffee's Drink More Whiskey book and decided on the Nail in the Coffin by Brian Means from San Francisco. This Rusty Nail riff was unique for it did not call for Drambuie as one of the ingredients as others like the Tooth and Nail and Bitter Nail had; instead, it utilized a trio of Madeira, Licor 43, and Fernet as the modifiers. While I lacked a Japanese whisky in my collection, I figured that a Taiwanese single malt was a good substitute in a quarantine situation. Once stirred and strained, the Nail in the Coffin proffered a cardamom, vanilla, and herbal nose. Next, malt and grape swirled on the sip, and the swallow gave forth whisky, vanilla, gentian, and menthol flavors that rather kept the Fernet Branca in check.

golden age

2 oz Flor de Caña Gold Rum
1 oz Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (Lustau)
1 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Licor 43
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Two Mondays ago, I selected the 2012 Northstar Cocktails and spotted the Golden Age from Pip Hanson. The recipe had been skipped over for years since I lacked Fino sherry in my collection until rather recently, and the combination with Cynar reminded me of my experiments the night before with the Exchange Place. Here, the additions to the equation were aged rum and the citrussy-vanilla Licor 43. Once prepared, the Golden Age proffered grapefruit, vanilla, and herbal aromas to the nose. Next, a caramel and white wine sip continued on into rum, funky herbal, vanilla, citrus, and savory flavors on the swallow. Overall, the combination felt like it needed a little work in the same way as my own drink the night before did.

good morning vietnam

1/2 oz Cruzan Blackstrap Rum
1 oz Licor 43
3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Buttered Coffee (*)

Flash blend with crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint, an edible orchid, and a pinch of ground coffee bean.
(*) I did not inquire for details, but the bottle was murky yellow, so perhaps 1/2+ tsp butter melted into the 3/4 oz coffee used here would suffice.

The drink that Andrea got at the Baldwin Bar at Sichuan Garden II was the Good Morning Vietnam. The drink had been on the menu for quite a while, and bartender Nika Orlovsky commented that this was the third recipe variation on the drink name. Since I have seen Licor 43 pair excellently with passion fruit in drinks like the Permanent Holiday and the Foul Weather Friend, I was intrigued to have a taste. Also, all the brightness from those two ingredients seemed like it would be countered by the dark blackstrap rum and roasted coffee flavors.
The mint bouquet took over the nose on the drink that preceded a lime and passion fruit-driven sip. Next, the dark rum, coffee, vanilla, citrus, and passion fruit flavors combined into a tropical dance on the swallow.

favela beach

2 oz Aged Cachaça (Seleta Gold)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1 bsp Cynar
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.
Two Saturdays ago, I reached into my Food & Wine: Cocktails section of my library and extracted the 2013 book by chance. There, I was lured in by the Favela Beach crafted by Gabriel Orta of Miami's Broken Shaker that paired the grassiness of cachaça with the bright citrus and vanilla notes of Licor 43. Once prepared, the drink gave forth a grassy funk and orange aroma. Next, a lightly citrus but full-bodied sip stepped aside to a grassy, vanilla, cinnamon, and funk-filled swallow.

leyenda milk punch

1 1/2 oz Pampero Aniversario Rum (Diplomatico Añejo)
1 1/2 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
3 oz Whole Milk (Soy Milk)

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick (freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon).

Two Fridays ago, I decided to make a drink that I had spotted while reading Fred Minnick's Rum Curious book called the Leyenda Milk Punch. The recipe was attributed to bartender Max Solano, and I was drawn to it for I love New Orleans-style milk punches and even crafted one for my last program's brunch menu. As I wrote in my first exposure to the style, milk punches of this sort (opposed to the clarified type) appear in Jerry Thomas' 1862 Bartenders Guide: A Bon Vivant's Companion and later became popular brunch drinks especially in New Orleans.
Once prepared, the Leyenda Milk Punch shared a nutmeg and cinnamon aroma from the garnishes. Next, a creamy sip gave forth grape and honey notes, and the swallow was a pleasing combination of aged rum and nutty sherry with vanilla accents from the Licor 43.