start me up

1 oz Elijah Craig 12 Year Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum (Doorly's 12 Year) (*)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Strega
1/4 oz Ginger Syrup
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Shake with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice.
(*) The bar's 2019 cocktail book has this as Scarlet Ibis Rum. Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make the Start Me Up that I found in a set of online recipe flashcards for the NoMad in Los Angeles. I uncovered both a drink photo and menu photo on Yelp from 2018 that had it under the "NoMad Classics" section, and I later found the recipe in The NoMad Cocktail Book where it was attributed to Leo Robitschek and Jessica Gonzalez; there it called for the Trinindad rum Scarlet Ibis. While the book did not say, if I had to wager, I would guess that it was named for the Rolling Stones song. As for the recipe, Strega has been paired up with either honey or ginger in a few drinks, but only appeared with both in Skull & Crown Trading Co.'s Hanalei Moon mixed in with a few other tropical ingredients. Once assembled, the Start Me Up gave forth a star anise and lemon aroma. Next, lemon and honey notes on the sip evolved into Bourbon, rum, honey, ginger, anise, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

casting spells

3/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Strega
3/4 oz Maraska Maraschino
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with a cherry. Recently on the Reddit Cocktail forum, user Mekmaann (same handle on Instagram) posted an intriguing drink called Casting Spells as a Final Ward-Last Word family member of sorts. I assumed that the name is a reference to Strega meaning "witch" in Italian. Up until this point, Strega and Maraschino have only been paired in two drinks that I have tried – one was Chris Hannah's 'Round Midnight and the other North of Sunset that I created mirroring Chris' drink making and naming style. In the glass, the Casting Spells put forth a nutty cherry and star anise aroma. Next, lime and cherry notes on the sip transfered into rye, anise, minty pine, cherry, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

hanalei moon

1 1/2 oz Koana Kea Agricole Rum (Uruapan Charanda)
1/2 oz Fed Street Gin (Tanqueray Malacca)
1/2 oz Strega
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Coconut Cream (Coco Lopez)
1/2 oz Honey-Ginger Syrup (fat 1/4 oz each Honey Syrup & Ginger Syrup)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
4 dash Absinthe (24 drop St. George)
1 pinch Seat Salt (4 drop 20% Saline)

Whip shake and pour into a pineapple glass (coconut Tiki mug). The earlier garnish instructions were mint and an orchid and later ones were pandan, lemon wedge, and basil sprig (mint sprigs and ornamental pea blossoms). Two Fridays ago, I was in a tropical mood, so I revisited the online recipe flashcards for Skull & Crown Trading Co. in Honolulu, and I was able to find the Hanalei Moon in two sets of different vintages. I found Yelp photos as early as 2023, and it appears on the current menu. One Yelp review described it as "a spicier Piña Colada on steroids. Delicious." Perhaps the drink was named after the popular 1974 Bob Nelson song that describes the beauty of Hanalei Bay on the island of Kauai and that later frequently got covered by other artists. Once prepared with the older garnish set, the Hanalei Moon rose to the senses with mint over coconut and rum funk aromas. Next, a creamy lime and pineapple sip cast a glow on funky rum, star anise, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

dead flowers

3/4 oz St. George Barrel-Aged Rye Gin (unaged St. George Dry Rye Gin)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz Strega
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Absinthe (12 drop St. George)

Shake with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards from Death & Co. Denver, and I opted for the Dead Flowers from their Winter 2023-24 menu that read like a Corpse Reviver #2 riff of sorts with Amaro Nonino and Strega in place of the classic's orange liqueur and Lillet (plus aged gin as well). Once prepared, the Dead Flowers opened up with star anise, pine, and vanilla aromas. Next, lemon and honey on the nose blossomed into gin, pine, orange, and anise flavors on the swallow.

pipe dreams

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Strega
1/2 oz Suze
1/8 oz Honey Syrup
1 dash Peach Bitters (Fee's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I had noted a recipe from Parla in Boston that was a curious stirred gin drink called the Pipe Dreams that I found in an online set of recipe flashcards and later confirmed on the bar's Instagram. The drink was crafted by Pat Panageas (as described on their social media) as part of the Dungeon Master list of twenty drinks. The idea is that imbibers roll a 20-sided die to pick a drink and slowly work their way through the list to make it to the next level. The Pipe Dreams reminded me of the original 1920s Yellow Cocktail of gin, Yellow Chartreuse, and Suze (later adapted to include lemon juice) especially considering how close Yellow Chartreuse and Strega are as shown by the history of The Eulogy. Once prepared, the Pipe Dreams flowed out to the nose with lemon, gentian herbal, and floral aromas. Next, a honey-laden sip opened up into gin, bright, earthy, and pine flavors on the swallow with a honey-peach finish.

stregasaurus

1 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Strega
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays prior, I returned to the 2020 Community Cocktails book of Seattle recipes and selected the dinosaur-liqueur pun Stregasaurus by Brien Hendershott at the Smith. I had tried Strega and Fernet together before in the Broken English and I loved the name, so I gave this one a go. In the glass, the Stregasaurus clambered to the nose with a minty, star anise, and lime bouquet. Next, lime and pear notes on the sip evolved into herbal and minty flavors on the swallow. Overall, the citrus, sugar, Strega, and Cocchi Americano worked well to soften the Fernet here.

burning in effigy

2 oz Blanco Tequila (Arette)
1/2 oz Strega
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist and grated Abuelita Hot Chocolate (grated baking chocolate).Two Sundays ago, I came across Nico Martini's Texas Cocktails book on my shelf, and there I spied the Burning in Effigy by Benjamin Krick at Juniper Tar in San Antonio. I was lured in for it reminded me of a spiced 21st Century given the tequila, cacao, and lemon elements. Once prepared, the Burning in Effigy opened up with a lemon, chocolate, and tequila bouquet. Next, lemon on the sip flowed into tequila, minty, chocolate, chili spice, and anise flavors on the swallow.

to rome with love

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Zucca (Sfumato)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe rinsed with Strega, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to J.E. Clapham's That's Amaro book and spotted the To Rome with Love from Cork & Cow in Franklin, Tennessee, that reminded me in name of the Rome with a View but was most likely dubbed after the 2012 Woody Allen movie. GoogleMaps has a menu photo that includes this drink circa 2019. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Country Lawyer made with blanc vermouth instead of Lillet and no Strega rinse, and the pairing of Benedictine and Zucca/Sfumato was one that I utilized in the Leaf Fall at Drink. In the glass, the To Rome with Love showcased a lemon, roast, and star anise bouquet. Next, pear and grapefruit notes from the aromatized wine on the sip fled to Bourbon, roast, and herbal bitterness on the swallow with an anise and char finish.

nog tripper

12 Eggs, separated into Whites and Yolks (2 Eggs)
2 oz Sugar (1/3 oz or 2 tsp)
24 oz Evan Williams Bonded Bourbon (4 oz)
9 oz Averna (1 1/2 oz)
6 oz Strega (1 oz)
32 oz Heavy Cream (5 1/3 oz Trader Joe's Vegan Heavy Cream)
32 oz Whole Milk or at least 2% (5 1/3 oz Trader Joe's Oat Milk)

Separate the egg whites and yolks. Beat the egg yolks until thin and then gradually whisk in the sugar until dissolved. Slowly add the spirits to the yolk-sugar mix while whisking. Add the milk and cream and whisk in. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the yolk-dairy-sugar-spirits mixture until well combined. Decant into bottles or a large pitcher and place in the refrigerator until chilled; preparing this a day or two before will work well. Serve with a garnish of freshly grated nutmeg.For the Holidays, my work asked me to come up with an egg nog recipe for a pre-order menu. Given our restaurant's Italian theme, I wanted to utilize some Italian liqueur and amari in the mix. Chris Hannah's Night Tripper with Strega and Averna came to mind and I crossed the idea sans Peychaud's Bitters with George Washington's Egg Nog for what I dubbed Nog Tripper (though I entitled my recipe submission "The Yarm Family Traditional Italian Egg Nog" to our director of operations, and the pre-sale menu just read "Egg Nog"). Two weeks ago, I decided to scale it down six fold at home and adapted it for my dairy-intolerant wife. In the glass, the Nog Tripper greeted the senses with nutmeg and star anise aromas. Next, a creamy and caramel sip slid into Bourbon, herbal, pine, and anise flavors on the swallow.

pirate hook

1 1/2 oz Mount Gay XO Rum (2 oz R.L. Seale 10 Year)
1/4 oz Punt e Mes (1/3 oz)
1/4 oz Strega (1/3 oz)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, float 1/4 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey (1/3 oz), and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Fridays ago, I spotted the Pirate Hook in an online set of flashcards, and I tracked down the recipe to Gaz Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails 2015. Gaz described how the recipe was created by Justin Southam at Reviver in New Southwales, Australia, and how Justin was inspired by the Meat Hook and the Vieux Carré. Once prepared, the Pirate Hook sailed to the nose with orange oils over rye whiskey aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip were attacked by a swallow of rum, herbal, and spice flavors.

master chief

2 oz Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Strega
1/2 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with mint sprigs.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set for Raised by Wolves in San Diego to make one of the orgeat recipes with my new batch. The one I picked was the Master Chief as an Irish whiskey-Strega Mai Tai of sorts, and I was able to confirm that it was served at the bar by a guest's Instagram post. It also follows the Birdman by Erick Castro who co-owns the bar where Erick modified Don the Beachcomber's Q.B. Cooler to be an Irish whiskey Tiki drink. In the glass, the Master Chief emitted a mint and nutty bouquet. Next, a creamy lemon sip flowed into whiskey, star anise, almond, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

loaded pistol

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Strega
1 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Scrappy's Black Lemon)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice and rimmed (*) with grasshopper salt (regular salt).
(*) I later found on the Bartender at Large page on Facebook has the bar sprinkled grasshopper salt over the ice cube.Two Sundays ago, I was scanning through the online flashcards for the Raised By Wolves bar, and I spotted the Loaded Pistol by Erick Castro at Polite Provisions in 2019. The structure with Strega in the mix reminded me of Chris Hannah recipes like the Night Tripper and Rebennack, so I was intrigued. I was able to confirm the recipe on Difford's Guide which specified that the garnish of grasshopper salt was a rim (unclear application on the flashcards); I later found on Erick's Bartender at Large page on Facebook, that it was a sprinkle on top of the ice. Without the grasshopper aspect in play, the Loaded Pistol shot forth with a smoke and red fruit aroma to the nose. Next, cherry and red grape notes on the sip recoiled into smoky agave and Strega's herbal-spice flavors on the swallow.

right place wrong time

1 3/4 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Strega
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 Fridays ago at work, my chef wanted a drink with Strega in it, so I made him Chris Hannah's Night Tripper. That inspired me to riff on the drink when I got home, and I swapped out the Bourbon and Averna for mezcal and Cynar while keeping the Strega and Peychaud's Bitters in place. Besides knowing that Cynar works well with mezcal, I recalled that I had two drinks, Alex Day's La Bateleur and Mike Steele's The Truth that elegantly paired Cynar and Strega. For a name, I kept Chris' Dr. John song title concept and dubbed this one the Right Place Wrong Time. In the glass, it welcomed the nose with an orange, vegetal, and smoke bouquet. Next, Cynar's caramel filled the sip and was followed by smoky agave, vegetal herbal, anise, and spice flavors on the swallow.

tokyo drift

2 oz Yamazaki 12 Year Whisky (Kavalan Classic)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Cardamaro
1 tsp Strega

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Sundays ago, I turned to a recipe that I had spotted in Punch Drinks called the Tokyo Drift. The recipe was crafted by Brad Farran at the Bull Durham Beer Co. in Raleigh, NC, in 2011 back when Japanese whiskey such as Yamazaki 12 Year was overlooked and thus affordable. He named it after the third installment of The Fast & The Furious cinematic series, and I did the best I could with my collection to match the whiskey but fell a little short with Kavalan from Taiwan. I was drawn in because the style reminded me of Chris Hannah drinks like the Midnight Tripper. Once prepared, the Tokyo Drift raced to the nose with lemon and grape aromas. Next, the Cardamaro and vermouth's grape on the sip sped into whisky, herbal, and minty pine flavors on the swallow.

witch

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Avion)
3/4 oz Strega
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to Neil Ratliff's Seattle Cocktails where I landed upon the Witch created by Joanna "Jojo" Kitchen while at the Fog Room. Since tequila and Strega had paired well in the Fallen Angel, I gave this one a whirl. Here, it showcased a lemon, cinnamon, and anise aroma. Next, a lemon-driven sip led into tequila, fennel, cinnamon, and mint flavors on the swallow.

spaghetti western #2

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Strega

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Mondays ago, I decided to make another recipe that I had spotted on Kindred Cocktails called the Spaghetti Western #2. The drink created by Martin Corriveau of Vancouver's La Pentola circa 2013, and the combination of American whiskey, Strega, and Punt e Mes reminded me of Evan Harrison's Nonantum Cocktail but here with a smoky agave flair. In the glass, the Spaghetti Western #2 greeted the senses with orange, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, a rich grape note on the sip galloped into Bourbon, smoky mezcal, herbal, and piny mint flavors on the swallow.

i against i

1 oz Hampden Estate Jamaican Rum (3/4 oz Coruba + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
1 oz Great King Street Glasgow Blend Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/4 oz Honey Syrup 2:1 (3/8 oz 1:1)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1/2 dash Bitter End Jamaican Jerk Bitters (Bittercube Jamaica #2)

Stir with ice, strain into a old fashioned pre-rinsed with Strega, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I selected Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and landed upon Matthew Belanger's 2019 drink named I against I. I assumed that it was named after the punk band from the Netherlands, but it could be named after one of Bad Brains' albums, a 2012 movie, a song from Massive Attack, and a few other possibilities. With no hint in the text, I continued on to mix up the recipe. Soon, my nose was greeted by grapefruit oil and herbal-spice aromas from the Strega. Next, caramel and honey notes on the sip charged into Scotch, funky rum, clove, and anise flavors on the swallow.

rachel wall

1 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Strega

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

Two Sundays ago, I was inspired by the thought of Campari paired with Strega that worked well in the Count's Swizzle and I decided to riff on it. I ended up taking a Kingston Negroni angle with it but utilized Amontillado sherry to dry out the extra sugar brought to the table by the Strega liqueur. For a name, a harkened back to one of the curious rabbit holes that I went down while researching my "Toast the Historic Trees of Boston: A Walking Tour" for Angel's Envy's Toast the Trees month and went with Rachel Wall. Wall was New England's only woman pirate and the last woman to be hanged in Boston; however, she was not arrested on piracy charges. She and her husband turned to the pirating trade in 1781; they stole a ship, made it look like it was damaged by a recent storm, and Rachel would call out for assistance. When the rescuing ship would arrive, the pirates would board the ship and rob it, and their career totals were believed to be a dozen ships, $12,000 in plunder, and 24 sailors murdered. After her husband and other members of the crew drowned, she took to petty theft and highway robbery. Her downfall was stealing a bonnet, and during her trial, she requested to be tried as pirate despite that the sentence would be death. Her pride in her trade-lifestyle led to her being hung at the Great Elm on the Boston Common with a crowd of thousands looking on. The Great Elm itself was there when the city bought the Common as a cow pasture in the 1630s, and it lasted until a winter storm toppled it in 1875. All that remains is a plaque.The Rachel Wall as a drink proffered an orange aroma from the twist and the Campari. Next, a grape-driven sip led into funky rum, nutty grape, caramel, bitter orange, and herbal-spice flavors on the swallow.

seas the day

1 1/2 oz Rhum Agricole (Clement Premiere Canne)
1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Syrup
1/4 oz Strega

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orchid (ornamental pea blossom).Two Thursdays ago, I began scanning the pages of the 2020 Community Cocktails book when I happened upon the Seas the Day. This unusual Daiquiri riff was crafted by Trevor Osterman at Seattle's Heartwood Provisions. Rhum agricole has worked well with tequila in Martin Cate's Menehune Gonzalez and my Gunwale Punch, so I was curious to see it in action again. The Seas the Day once prepared sailed in with a grassy funky aroma. Next, lime and pineapple on the sip cruised into funky rum melding into tequila via the vegetal element on the swallow along with pineapple and Strega's spice flavors.

night tripper

1 3/4 oz Bourbon (Old Forester 100°)
3/4 oz Averna
1/2 oz Strega (*)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) Although the drink was published this way, the creator prefers 1/4 oz. See text.

Two Sundays ago, I came across a Chris Hannah recipe that he created during his days at Arnaud's French 75 and still serves at Jewel of the South called the Night Tripper. With a Bourbon, amaro, Strega, and bitters combination, it reminded me of his Rebennack, and of course his love of Strega made me think of his 'Round Midnight and Accoutrement (and it inspired me to craft the North of Sunset in his style). The drink was his tribute to the late musical legend Dr. John and dubbed after one of the musician's nicknames. Chris assembled this as one of his Mardi Gras flask cocktails, and it was named shortly after Dr. John's float passed by. Strangely, I found three recipes for this all varying by the amount of Strega in them: the James Beard site had 1/4 oz, Imbibe had 1/2 oz, and Punch Drinks had 3/4 oz. I figured that the sweeter one would make a better flask cocktail, and I ended up going with the middle one especially since it added up to a perfect 3 oz build. When I posted it on Instagram, Chris replied, "This looks lovely, it is 1/4 oz and with Strega being scarce nowadays it should stay that way."The Night Tripper started up with orange, caramel, and spice aromas. The sip approached with Averna's caramel notes, and the swallow passed by with Bourbon, herbal, minty-pine, and anise flavors.