tokyo dagger

2 oz Yamazaki 12 Year Japanese Whisky (Suntory Toki)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane Quina

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry or a lemon twist (lemon twist).Two Thursdays ago, I had purchased a bottle of Toki Japanese Whisky, and I set off to find an inaugural recipe to make with it. The one I selected was the Tokyo Dagger by Sean Kenyon at Williams & Graham in Denver via a defunct Liquor-dot-com article where the recipe was captured on KindredCocktails. I soon found a blog post about the bar in 2012 that mentioned the drink. The combination of whisky and Pedro Ximenez sherry is one that has blossomed in the Rapscallion, William Wallace, Black Francis, and other recipes, so I knew that it would hit the spot with some Bonal in the mix. In the glass, the Tokyo Dagger gave forth a lemon and raisin aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip from the quinquina and sherry opened up into whisky, herbal, dried cherry, and fig flavors on the swallow with a rather dry finish.

greenwood

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 Orange Peel

Express the orange peel into a mixing glass and drop in, add the rest of the ingredients and ice, stir, and strain into a coupe.Two Sundays ago, I returned to a set of online recipe flashcards for Raines Law Room in New York City and landed on the Greenwood. As a Manhattan variation with a split of vermouth and quinquina, it reminded me of the Aime from Louis' Mixed Drinks from 1906 and perhaps California Gold's Bicycle Thief with Cynar in the mix at the Blue Room. Once stirred and strained, the Greenwood showcased a grape, plum, and rye aroma. Next, grape with a hint of dark fruit on the sip transitioned into rye, plum, and allspice flavors on the swallow with orange and clove notes on the finish.

imagine sisyphus happy

1 oz Plantation 5 Year Barbados Rum (R.L. Seale 10 Year)
1 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
3/8 oz Vanilla Syrup
3/8 oz Demerara Syrup
4 drop Absinthe (St. George)
1 dash Fee's Old Fashioned Bitters (Fee's Whiskey Barrel-Aged)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards for the Patterson House in Nashville, and there I selected the Imagine Sisyphus Happy from their Winter 2022 menu. This Flip with rum, Bonal, amaro, and egg reminded me of the Notorious F.L.I.P. that I had years ago with Smith & Cross and Nardini. The name was taken from the end of Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus where Camus wrote, "The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy." In the glass, the Imagine Sisyphus Happy proffered a woody spice and root beer aroma. Next, a creamy caramel and grape sip rolled back into rum, vanilla, root beer, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

vacationland

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Braulio Amaro
1/8 oz Absinthe (Kübler)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I was perusing the online flashcards from Atlanta's Paper Plane when I stumbled upon the Vacationland which reminded me of the Black Betty that I recently had with rye, Braulio, and absinthe/Herbsaint. Here, it utilized Bonal instead of Cynar as the fourth component. Once stirred and strained, the Vacationland ventured to the nose with a grape and anise bouquet. Next, the grape continued into the sip where it mingled with Braulio's caramel note, and the swallow finished things up with rye, pine, anise, and herbal flavors.

kentucky cyclist

1 1/2 oz Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays ago, I decided to make a recipe that I had spotted in the Eventide cookbook called the Kentucky Cyclist. The recipe was created by John Myer at Eventide in Portland, Maine, and named after how Bonal was one of the early sponsors of the Tour de France. Overall, the recipe reminded me of the Disco Ball with the split of Green and Yellow Chartreuse, spirit, aromatized wine, and bitters, but it ended up tasting closer to the American whiskey Bijou dubbed the Family Jewels. Once prepared, the Kentucky Cyclist rode to the nose with orange oil and herbaceous aromas from the Green Chartreuse. Next, a grape-driven sip pedaled to Bourbon, herbaceous, honey, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

la jetée

3/4 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice and strain into a glass (coupe here but old fashioned would work too).

I was stymied two weeks ago with power outages on Monday and Tuesday nights, so I skipped making drinks in the dark and jeopardizing the remaining chill in our freezer and refrigerator. Therefore, on Wednesday, I played a little catch-up by making two drinks. The first one was inspired by the mezcal-Braulio combination in the Montañista a few nights ago. From there, I drew influences from the 1910 Cocktail by matching the mezcal with Cognac as well as its recipe structure; the Cognac aspect first came about when I thought of the St. Bernard's Pass that essentially makes a Cognac Black Manhattan with Braulio. Since Bonal pairs elegantly with both mezcal and Cognac, I decided to take that route instead of the 1910's Punt e Mes. For a name, I dubbed it La Jetée after the 1962 French science fiction movie that inspired Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys.La Jetée jumped to the nose with a richness from the Cognac and Braulio and with a smoke and vegetal aspect from the mezcal. Next, grape and caramel on the sip landed on Cognac flavors as well as mezcal interplaying with Braulio's minty herbal notes on the swallow with a chocolate and smoke finish.

professional courtesy

1 1/2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy)
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice.Two Wednesdays ago, I delved into an online flashcard set for Raised by Wolves in San Diego, and I happened upon the Professional Courtesy created by Erick Castro that reminded me a little of the Always Crashing the Same Car. Here, the Professional Courtesy showcased an apple bouquet with caramel-grape undertones. Next, the caramel and grape notes continued on into the sip where they were relieved by apple, herbal, orange, and gentian flavors on the swallow.

drop the anchor

1 1/2 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum
3/4 oz Byrrh Grand Quinquina
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
2 dash Mole Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with a big cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Here, served from a chilled flask. On Tuesday night of Portland Cocktail Week, there were four pop-up events across town at the same time, and while I planned on hitting three of them, I reached my limit at two. I started my night at an Amor y Amargo pop-up at the White Owl Social Club. There, Sother Teague served me a variation on The Redemption swapping the Averna for more Jagermeister who was sponsoring the event as well as utilizing a local apple brandy. After that, I headed back to Rum Club where there was a pop-up by Seattle's Navy Strength sponsored by Mount Gay Rum. I asked bartender/bar owner Chris Elford for the Drop the Anchor, and I later inquired if it was a rum-for-Scotch version of his Casualty. Chris replied that it was close for the Amaro Montenegro amount was dropped slightly. After that, I considered the Old Forester Far Flung Friends event at the Spirit of '77 with drinks from the Yacht Club in Denver, but my self-preservation instinct kicked in, and I headed back to the hotel. Strangely, I woke up with a sweatshirt from the Far Flung Friends event in my size in my backpack, and it will have to go down as one of those unsolved mysteries.

dune buggy

3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
10 drop Bitter Queen's Chinese 5 Spice Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a spritz of Chinese 5 Spice Bitters (3 drops).For a cocktail selection Sunday night, I delved into Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix'Em and selected the Dune Buggy. The recipe was crafted at Cure by bartender Colin Bugbee, and it came about when he found the combination of Bonal and Smith & Cross to generate apple notes which led to the cinnamon syrup. In the glass, the Dune Buggy drove to the senses with a caramel, lime, and spice aroma. Next, lime, caramel, and grape notes on the sip cruised into funky rum and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

as wine stands time

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Cynar
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.Two Saturdays ago, I decided to make another recipe that I had spotted that week on Kindred Cocktails called As Wine Stands Time; the recipe was attributed to Kirk Estopinal of New Orleans' Cure via a 2014 eGullet thread. The combination reminded me of the Midnight Maurader with rye instead of mezcal and mole bitters as well as the Bicycle Thief minus the sweet vermouth as well as different proportions. Here, the As Wine Stands Time kicked things off with grapefruit and dark caramel aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip transitioned into rye and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

king louie

3/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice, strain into a glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Wednesdays after I returned home from my bar shift, I was inspired to tinker with banana liqueur that I last used two days prior in the Origami Ape with the recipe structure of the 1919 Cocktail. For a name, I dubbed this one the King Louie after the orangutan who appears in Disney's 1967 movie The Jungle Book; King Louie was not in Rudyard Kipling's book but was cast for, voiced by, and named after singer Louis Prima. In the glass, the King Louie donated a lemon, caramel, and banana bouquet. Next, caramel and grape on the sip danced into rye, Cognac, caramel, and tropical flavors on the swallow in this desserty number.

flaneur

1 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.After getting home from a Fourth of July party, I was in the mood for something to round out the night but perhaps with a lower ABV. One of the recipes in that category that I had bookmarked was Rafa Garcia Febles' 2014 riff on the Boulevardier called the Flâneur that was mostly fortified wine. The Bonal and Campari here have paired up well before in recipes like the Streets of San Miguel as well as my more recent The Great Silence, so I was definitely intrigued. In the glass, things began off with grape and Cognac's richness on the nose. Next, grape and tangy orange notes on the sip gave way to Cognac, herbal grape, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

vice & virtue

2 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/4 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with orange oils from a twist.Two Sundays ago, I was excited to crack into my new purchase of The Bartender's Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen and the bartenders of the Violet Hour. The first recipe I selected was the Vice & Virtue crafted by Violet Hour bartender Owen Gibler in 2012 as a stirred tequila drink with apricot accents akin to the Damasco. The Vice & Virtue conjured up an orange, apricot, and agave aroma. Next, grape and orchard fruit on the sip flowed into tequila, vegetal, apricot, and darker flavors on the swallow.

the great silence

1 oz Gin (Tamworth Garden)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Amaro Nardini
1 oz Bonal Gentian Quina

Build in a rocks glass, add a large ice cube, stir, and garnish with an orange twist (omit).After work two Fridays ago, I became inspired to create a drink instead of spending my time at 3am looking through cocktail books for a recipe. I had been thinking about Rafa Garcia Febles' Klaus Kinski with its Campari-Nardini duo, and I took the Bonal from Joaquín Simo's Key Party where it worked great with gin and Nardini. Circling back to Klaus Kinski, I dubbed this The Great Silence after one of his movies (there was a lot to choose from given that Klaus appeared in 130 movies over 40 years). Once prepared, the new creation generated a pine and herbal aroma. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip quieted down into a gin, herbal, and bitter orange swallow.

cantinflas mustache

3/4 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Amaro Meletti
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
2 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe (or rocks glass), and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I spotted my bottle of Amaro Meletti and was reminded of the Sharpie Mustache. I decided to take Chris Elford's recipe and swap out the rye and gin for reposado tequila and mezcal to take it in a Mexican direction; in addition, I felt that some chocolate mole bitters would be a benefit here. For a name, I dubbed this one the Cantinflas Mustache after the style made popular by Mexican actors. In the glass, the drink proffered an orange, smoke, caramel, and floral bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip cut into smoky, vegetal, and violet floral flavors on the swallow with a chocolate and smoke finish.

cruel to be kind

1 1/2 oz Tanqueray Gin (Tanqueray Malacca)
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz 2:1 Honey Syrup (3/4 oz 1:1)
1 dash Dale DeGroff's Pimento Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel (omit).After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I ventured into Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and was lured in by Al Sotack's 2014 Cruel to Be Kind. In the glass, it offered up grapefruit and pine aromas. Next, honey, grapefruit, lime, and grape notes on the sip led to gin, honey, and herbal flavors on the swallow with an allspice finish.

broadway

40 mL Michter's US1 Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz)
10 mL Bonal Gentiane-Quina (2 tsp or 1/3 oz)
5 mL Maraschino Liqueur (1 tsp Luxardo)
2.5 mL Maple Syrup (1/2 tsp)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with a cherry (omit).Two Sundays ago, I delved back into The Claridge Cocktail Book and spotted the Broadway created by Nathan McCarley-O'Neill at the Claridge's bar in London. Overall, it reminded me of a Fancy Free with hints of maple and Bonal quinquina to round out the balance. In the glass, the Broadway showcased a rye and nutty cherry bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and maple notes on the sip gave way to rye, maple, cherry, and clove flavors on the swallow.

the accent

1 oz Blended Scotch (Famous Grouse)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Bols Genever
1 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Sundays ago, I was searching Facebook for a post, and I came across a 2013 drink of the day at Backbar as a surprise side result. The bartenders at Backbar were inspired by Ran Duan's 2012 Spice Trade at the Baldwin Bar and riffed on it. Here, the Accent presented a grape, malt, and Scotch bouquet to the nose. Next, the grape on the sip flowed into malt, Scotch, nutty grape, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a chocolate finish.

fortune teller

1 oz Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum
1 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Zaya)
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Sundays ago, I ventured into The NoMad Cocktail Book and spotted the Fortune Teller by Leo Robischek. I previously had passed over the recipe for the text described how this was a celebration of two Venezuelan rums, but I figured that having half the call was good enough for now. I was lured in for it reminded me of the Blossom Bar's Palm Viper as well as Donny Clutterbuck's Desk Job and Chad Austin's I Want to Believe given the rum, Cynar, and fortified wine structure. In the glass, the Fortune Teller presented a caramel and hint of milk chocolate nose. Next, caramel, grape, and a hint of smoke on the sip slid into dark rums, burnt caramel, and vegetal flavors on the swallow.

the end is nigh

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded Rye
1 oz Bonal Gentian-Quina
1/4 oz Varnelli Amaro Sibilla
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I had recently finished the Lift Your Spirits book about New Orleans drinking culture through the years written by Elizabeth Williams and Chris McMillian. The book had already inspired me to revisit the Obituary Cocktail, and the one that called out to me next was The End is Nigh from Cure as communicated by Neal Bodenheimer. Once prepared, the End is Nigh donated an orange and herbal aroma to the senses. Next, grape and char notes on the sip flowed into rye, smoky, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.