smokey maduro

1 1/2 oz Arette Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz La Luna Ensemble Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro (*)
1/2 oz Giffard Pamplemousse (St. Elder)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist and cherry.
(*) Someone on Instagram asked about substitutions, and I replied "Amer Picon, Torani Amer, Bigallet China-China, or Amaro Lucano." Two Thursdays ago, I was searching online recipe flashcards for uses of Amaro Ciociaro, and I pulled up a set from The Winston's Club cigar bar in San Juan Capistrano, California, for their opening menu this year. The drink, the Smokey Maduro, reminded me of an Oaxacan Old Fashioned taken in an amaro-grapefruit liqueur direction. Mezcal and Ciociaro have worked well in drinks like the Leatherman and Little Zeddie, and I used it to great effect in the Kilted Flower; and mezcal and grapefruit liqueur have paired excellently in the Mezcal Me Maybe and Mildred Pierce plus my This is Not Berlin. Therefore, I gave this one a stir. In the glass, the Smokey Maduro lit up with orange, caramel, cherry, and vegetal aromas. Next, the caramel and orange notes continued on into the sip where they interlaced with smoky, agave, grapefruit, and bitter 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.

soy capitan!

3/4 oz Espolon Reposado Tequila
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Pamplemousse Rose (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I returned to a 2017 era set of online recipe flashcards for Ward 8 in Boston and landed on the Soy Capitan! I was able to find a mention of the drink in a 2018 Yelp review, and it reminded me of the Mildred Pierce and Erika Marie that pair mezcal instead of tequila with Aperol and grapefruit liqueur. In the glass, the Soy Capitan! showcased lemon, tequila, orange, and grapefruit aromas on the nose. Next, lemon and orange notes on the sip gave forth tequila and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

wake up call

1 1/2 oz Jeppson's Malört
3/4 oz Fruitful Grapefruit Liqueur
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a dehydrated cinnamon-dusted grapefruit quarter slice. Two weeks ago, I was in Colorado Springs to give a talk on the intangible heritage of cocktails at the Colorado Preservation group's conference. When I got into town on Wednesday, I was smart enough to only visit brewery taprooms in the area so I could be in somewhat decent shape for my talk on Thursday afternoon. During a practice run on Thursday morning, I did not expect what being over 6000 feet above sea level can do to a speaker (I live closer to 60 feet); I was used to the air dryness' effect from having been in Denver for the USBG conference back in June, but I did not anticipate the lower amount of oxygen in the air changing my ability to fit in as many words per breath. After the talk, I had a bartending shift at the happy hour where I made two drinks that I covered in my session – Brother Cleve's Ninth Ward and Ben Sandrof's 1919 Cocktail. A pretty intense four hour stretch between the talk and producing over 90 cocktails that had me in need of dinner and drinks of my own. After dinner, I headed into downtown to go to Shame & Regret that I had scoped out the week before by its name and the drink menu. Bartender Emily Kindt told me that I needed to go to Chiba, a Japanese cyberpunk anime bar that the bartender at the Burrowing Owl where I had dinner mentioned, but first, I needed to go to Cocktails After Dusk. In fact, Emily walked me over there to introduce me to the bar team there before doing a shot and heading back to her bar. My night ended at Chiba with a Carthusian Sazerac (no recipe acquired but listed on the menu as rye, Boomsma Cloosterbitter (to replace the Green Chartreuse they used to make it with), Angostura Bitters, Leopold Absinthe spritz) and also later bumping into one of the bartenders from Cocktails After Dusk after his shift. It was really touching how the bar scene took care of me from dinner until last call. Also, it probably helped that I was wearing a Fernet Branca t-shirt, or as I told my co-worker when I got home, "Tell me you're industry without telling me." Backtracking to Shame & Regret, the cocktail I had prepared by Emily was the Wake Up Call (not her recipe though) with Malört. She described how "Malört sums up shame and regret" before pointing out their wall of Malört-face photos and mentioning that the bar is the largest Malört account in Colorado. The Wake Up Call's Malört, grapefruit, and lime combination reminded me of the Tragedy Plus Lime but without the mezcal and sherry though. In the glass, the drink donated a cinnamon and grapefruit bouquet. Next, a semi-sweet and full bodied citrussy sip led into grapefruit, cinnamon, and herbal flavors on the swallow. Overall, the juices, syrup, and liqueur all helped to soften Malört's bitterness which made for it being a delight to drink!

black & red lumberjack

1 1/2 oz Russell's Reserve Rye (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur (Mr. Black)
1/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse (St.Elder)

No instructions were provided so I stirred and strained into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. A grapefruit twist would not be out of place here.Two Mondays ago, my searching uncovered a set of online recipe flashcards for Pammy's in Cambridge, and the Red & Black Lumberjack from the 2018 menu called out to me as coffee Boulevardier of sorts. In the glass, the Red & Black Lumberjack opened up with a caramel, coffee, herbal, and pine bouquet. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip chopped into rye, bitter orange and coffee, and pine flavors on the swallow.

promises, promises

1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
7 drop Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I reached for Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake's Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em book and landed on the Promises, Promises by Nicholas Jarrett. Jarrett was inspired by Julie Reiner's Gin Blossom and Phil Ward's Elder Fashion, and a blog post suggested that it was served at Cure as early as 2015. In the glass, the Promises, Promises gave forth an orange and orchard fruit bouquet. Next, pear notes on the sip slid into gin and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

mezcal me maybe

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cinnamon powder swirl.Two Thursdays ago, I uncovered an online recipe flashcard set for Yvonne's here in Boston, and I landed on the Carly Rae Jepsen-tribute drink named Mezcal Me Maybe. I was able to date the creation to around 2020 via spotting it on Yelp. Its combination of mezcal, grapefruit liqueur, and cinnamon syrup reminded me of the This Is Not Berlin but in a spirit, grapefruit liqueur, cinnamon, and lime combination found in Death & Co.'s Heart Throb although here with the addition of egg white. In the glass, the Mezcal Me Maybe shined through with a cinnamon, lime, and grapefruit aroma. Next, a creamy lime sip dialed into a mezcal, grapefruit, cinnamon, and smoky swallow.

stirred paloma

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Aperol
1/4 oz Lime Juice
1 pinch Salt (3 drop 20% Saline Solution)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with a lime twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set from the Eddy in Providence, and I opted to make the Stirred Paloma created there in 2015. The concept reminded me of how a proper Gimlet with lime cordial is stirred according to the earliest printed recipe in Harry MacElhone's 1922 Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails, so I was curious to see how this one worked. Here, the Stirred Paloma showcased a lime, vegetal, and smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, orange and grapefruit notes on the sip led to smoky agave and grapefruit flavors on the swallow. While the Aperol was a pleasant touch, it moved things a little away from a Paloma in my mind although it did work well in the Dove & Daisy.

tiki mama

3/4 oz Planteray Pineapple Rum
3/4 oz Privateer Silver Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique)
3/4 oz Combier Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a Tiki mug, and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with 3 dash Angostura Bitters, a grapefruit twist, and an edible orchid (omit orchid).Two Fridays ago, I wanted something refreshing after my tough bar shift that night. Therefore, I decided it was time to make the Tiki Mama created at Tiger Mama in Boston circa 2015 as found in an onine recipe flashcard set. Once assembled in the mug, the Tiki Mama brought forth grapefruit, cinnamon, and allspice aromas to the nose. Next, lemon and honey on the sip sailed into rum, pineapple, grapefruit, cinnamon, and honey flavors on the swallow.

this is not berlin

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a doube old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.When writing up the Testadura with rum, Cynar, and cinnamon syrup, I became inspired to riff on the idea. I brought in grapefruit liqueur to complement the cinnamon from the Hawaiian War Chant, and mezcal, grapefruit liqueur, and Cynar worked so well in the Tres Amigos. For a name, I dubbed it This is Not Berlin after a 2019 coming-of-age movie set in Mexico City and centered around a nightclub. Once prepared, the drink showcased a grapefruit, cinnamon, vegetal, and smoke bouquet. Next, a semi-sweet sip flowed into smoke, vegetal, grapefruit, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

hay there

3/4 oz Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka
3/4 oz Dolin Genepy Liqueur
3/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured down to Backbar in Somerville for Jesse Lane's First Fifty challenge that he needed to complete before becoming a full-fledged bartender there. Off the list, I selected the Hay There, and I was able to utilize the KindredCocktails database to learn that it was created by James Lamont at Backbar in Summer 2016. Once prepared, the Hay There led off with a lime, bright herbaceous, and grapefruit aroma. Next, lime and grapefruit notes on the sip greeted herbal, grapefruit, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow. The overall balance and feel here reminded me of the Aqueduct.

modest mousse

1 1/2 oz Espolon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
2 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards from Sotto in Los Angeles when I landed upon the rock band meets pun named Modest Mousse. A menu on a blog post put this drink circa 2013, and once assembled, this bitter tequila drink began with a grape and grapefruit bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow rounded things off with vegetal and bitter grapefruit flavors.

internet famous

1 1/2 oz White Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique Overproof)
1/2 oz Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Brenevin (Linie Aquavit)
1/8 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Saline (3 drop 1:4 Saline Solution)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for Portland's Shift Drinks and spotted the Internet Famous. Its aquavit-Maraschino combination reminded me of how well it worked in recipes like the Bohemia and Argyle, so I was curious to give this one a go. Here, the Internet Famous proffered a grapefruit and cherry bouquet to the nose. Next, cherry notes on the sip uncovered rum, cherry, caraway, grapefruit peel, and anise flavors on the swallow.

doctor's orders

1 1/2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Laird's Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Giffard Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.Two Fridays ago, a Reddit user was asking on the cocktails forum if anyone knew how to make a recipe called the Doctor's Orders that they just had at the Dead Rabbit. I used my online flashcard wisdom to find the set for the Dead Rabbit's Fall 2023 menu and uncovered the way Jillian Vose's creation is made now (it was made with a different Bourbon for Fall 2022). After posting it, I realized that I had everything I needed to make this later that night, and I was curious what a Bourbon Tiki would be like with both Don's Mix (grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup) and Don's Spices #2 (allspice dram and vanilla syrup). Once prepared, the Doctor's Orders dictated a nutmeg and apple aroma to the nose. Next, grapefruit and lime on the sip flowed into Bourbon, apple, cinnamon, and allspice flavors on the swallow with a vanilla and grapefruit finish.

series of folds

1 oz Punt e Mes
1 oz Amaro Meletti
3/4 oz Citadelle Gin (Beefeater)
1/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Saturdays ago, one of my Instagram friends, Matt Colonna @eatbetterdrinkbitter, wrote me that he had a great cocktail that night at Deadhorse Hill in Worcester, Massachusetts, called Series of Folds. The recipe that he sent along called for my bottle of Meletti that was utilized the night before but this time in Negroni-esque format instead of a Sour. Overall, the concept reminded me of Employees Only's Nerina Jones with grapefruit notes, so I was intrigued. The Series of Folds began with grapefruit, caramel, grape, and herbal aromas. Next, grape and caramel on the sip slid into gin, caramel, floral, and grapefruit flavors on the swallow. Although a touch on the sweeter site, it was still an enjoyable nightcap.

fallen angel

1 oz St. George Rum Agricole (Rhum JM Blanc 100°)
1/2 oz Caña Brava Rum (Privateer New England White)
3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Combier Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/4 oz Velvet Falernum

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with grapefruit oils from a twist.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set for the Summer 2015 menu at Dead Rabbit after enjoying the Drawing Room a few days prior from that collection. The Fallen Angel was crafted by Jillian Vose, and it reminded me of her 2013 pisco-based Soul Clench at Death & Co. that also included dry vermouth, grapefruit liqueur, and falernum. Once prepared, the Fallen Angel descended with grapefruit and grassy funk aromas. Next, a semi-sweet grapefruit-noted sip transcended into grassy rum, grapefruit, herbal, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

modern love

2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse Rose (St. Elder)
1 pinch Himalayan Sea Salt

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist (orange twist) and another pinch of Himalayan sea salt.Two Tuesdays ago, I selected the Drinking Like Ladies book from the shelves and spied the Modern Love by Jane Fishel at the Andaz Hotel in Savannah, Georgia. I had to check to see if I had made it before, for I had confused it with the Modern Lover by name. Previously, I had skipped over this recipe when the book came out for I lacked a grapefruit liqueur at home back then, and it seemed like a good time to make this tribute to Martha Coston who finished her deceased husband's work to create what became the formulation for highway flares today as well as an invaluable tool during the Civil War. Once built, the Modern Love donated an orange and grapefruit aroma to the senses. Next, caramelized citrus peel elements on the sip ignited tequila and vanilla flavors on the swallow with a finish that alternated bitter orange and bitter grapefruit notes.

cub room

1 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Honey Syrup 1:1

Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice (coupe without ice), and garnish with a rosemary sprig (omit).Two Fridays ago, a recipe on Punch Drinks called the Cub Room caught my attention. This recipe by bartender Anthony Rouhana at the Cub Room in Rochester, New York, reminded me of the Earthbound given the combination of honey and Aperol. Here, the Cub Room shared an orange, pine, and grapefruit aroma. Next, lemon and orange notes on the sip clawed into pine, grapefruit, orange, and honey flavors on the swallow.

dados

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Suze
scant 1/4 oz Pamplemousse Liqueur (St. Elder)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, garnish with a lemon twist and an orange twist (lemon only).Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Robert Simonson's Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails book, and I landed upon the Dados crafted by Caitlin Laman at the Licoreria Limantour in Mexico City circa 2016. Since I have been grooving on the mezcal-Suze combination in drinks like The Man From Nowhere and the Mezcal White Negroni, I was excited about giving this one a try. In the glass, the Dados proffered lemon and smoky vegetal aromas to the nose. Next, a creamy and citrus sip was chased by mezcal, vegetal, floral, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

lord baltimore

1 1/2 oz Dickel Rye (Old Overholt)
1/2 oz Pikesville 110° Rye (Rittenhouse)
1 tsp Giffard Crème de Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Amaro di Angostura

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube (build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, and stir).Two Wednesdays after my bar shift, I selected Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book where I latched onto the Old Fashioned riff energy of Jon Armstrong's 2016 Lord Baltimore. The book described how Jon utilized a grapefruit liqueur in place of a citrus twist here. Once prepared, it proffered rye, grapefruit, and darker aromas to the nose. Next, maple and caramel notes on the sip sailed into rye, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow with a grapefruit and maple finish. Part of the drink's success was how grapefruit and maple pair so elegantly as I discovered in the Volcano Bowl.