almost famous

3/4 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
3/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass.
After visiting Sahil Mehta at Estragon, I headed over to the Franklin Café where Jay Cool was working that night. For a first drink, I asked Jay for the Almost Famous. While the name suggested a riff on the Naked and Famous, it appeared more like a mezcal Culross on paper. In the glass, it offered a smoky aroma over orchard fruit notes. Next, the sip presented lemon with an almost orange-like flavor, and the swallow was full of smoky agave and apricot.

[wight army cocktail]

1 oz Rittenhouse 100 Rye
1 oz Amontillado Sherry
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur
1/2 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Allspice Dram

Shake with ice and strain into a tall glass. Fill with crushed ice and garnish with 1 dash Angostura Bitters and a mint leaf.

Monday last week, I stopped in to visit bartender Sahil Mehta at Estragon. A drink that caught my eye was one of his unnamed drinks of the day that reminded me of the 1941 apricot liqueur-laden Zombie. Sahil replied that he had utilized the Sherry Mai Tai as a starting point instead of any classic Zombie recipe though. For a name, I thought of the Game of Thrones-themed Zombie riff, the White Walker Cocktail that I had tried about a week before and considered the White Walker's victim army, the Wights. According to the show's Wikipedia page, a wight is "a reanimated corpse, either human or animal, raised from death by the White Walkers to act as their minions. They are also called just 'The Dead' or 'The Army of the Dead'." In addition, the name Wight also reminded me of my friend's family ties to the old Maryland rye distillery; while the Wight Rye name was sold off, the recipe still lies in the hands of the descendants via New England Distilling.
The drink began with a mint, clove, and allspice aroma. The sip proffered grape and lemon notes, and the swallow displayed rye, nutty, apricot, and allspice flavors.

cocoanut grove cooler

1 1/2 oz Blended Scotch (Buchanan's 12 Year)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orange Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Curaçao (Van der Hum)
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Nectar (PF syrup)
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 tsp Orgeat

Blend with 1 cup of ice and pour into a tall glass (shake with ice, strain into a tall glass, and top with crushed ice). Garnish with an orange slice, cherries (omit), and mint sprig.

After my bar shift two Sunday nights ago, I was feeling the Tiki mood and reached for Beachbum Berry's Remixed. The Cocoanut Grove Cooler from the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove Night Club in Los Angeles seemed rather intriguing with the medley of fruit flavors. Moreover, the libation is one of the few classic Tiki drinks that call for Scotch as a base spirit with the other famous one being Trader Vic's Starboard Light. In more recent years, there have been a few modern Scotch Tiki recipes such as the Angry Barista, but this number is still rather low.
The Cocoanut Grove Cooler began with a mint and orange bouquet. Next, the fruity sip showcased orange and lemon flavors with a hint of passion fruit, and the swallow offered smoky Scotch, passion fruit, and orange notes.

nassau street cocktail

1 oz Apple Brandy (Boulard VSOP Calvados)
1 oz Punt e Mes
1 oz Cynar
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino cherry.

Two Saturdays ago for a night cap, I looked to Imbibe Magazine's new issue and spotted the Nassau Street Cocktail as an interesting apple Negroni variation. Chris Frankel of Houston's Spare Key concocted this three parter plus bitters and used Cynar as the amaro as have the Trident, Urban Anxiety, and the Ardent Spirit. Instead of vermouth, Chris utilized Punt e Mes which I frequently ask for when I get a Negroni.
The Nassau Street Cocktail offered an apple and funky herbal aroma. The apple continued into the sip where it mingled with the Punt e Mes' grape, and the swallow presented caramel and herbal flavors with a spice-driven finish.

bitter scotsman

2 oz Blended Scotch (Buchanan's 12 Year)
3/4 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Campari

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and freshly grated cinnamon.

Two Fridays ago, I flipped through Food & Wine: Cocktails 2015 for a post-shift nightcap. The Bitter Scotsman by Meghan Eastman of San Diego's The Noble Experiment caught my attention for it appeared like a Cameron's Kick that curiously replaced the Irish whiskey with Campari. Or perhaps it was the smoky version of the Chestnut Cup that made it seem promising. Regardless, it appeared like a good way to end the night.
The cinnamon garnish added some spice to the nutty orgeat aroma. On the palate, a lemon and malty sip was followed by smoky Scotch, peanut butter, and bitter orange. Indeed, the peanut butter coming from the orgeat being altered by the other ingredients was intriguing and reminded me of the delightful Peanut Malt Flip.

white walker cocktail

1 1/2 oz Aged Rum (Plantation Barbados 5 Year)
1/2 oz White Rum (Wray & Nephew)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup (BG Reynolds)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a Pilsner glass (Tiki mug). Top with crushed ice and garnish with tropical fruits (mint sprigs).

Two Thursdays ago after my shift at work, I decided to treat myself to something tropical and the White Walker Cocktail from Imbibe Magazine seemed to be the answer. The recipe was created by Dan Rook of South Water Kitchen in Chicago, and the combination of pineapple, citrus, and cinnamon spice has always been a winner such as in the Newmarket and Subterranean Swizzles as well as the Gilda Cocktail. Instead of a Pilsner glass, I opted for a Tiki mug that reminded me of the White Walker zombies from Game of Thrones.
The mint that I garnished with offered a welcoming aroma. Next, lemon and pineapple on the sip transitioned into caramel and funky rums on the swallow and pineapple and cinnamon on the finish.

natural

1/2 jigger Bacardi (1 oz Old Ipswich Tavern Style Rum, 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
1/4 jigger Brandy (1/2 oz Pedro Domecq Fundador Solera Reserva)
1 spoon Grenadine (1/2 oz)
1 spoon Orgeat (1/2 oz)
1 spoon Lemon Juice (3/4 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. I added a lemon twist.
After the Nutty Like a Fruitcake, I looked to Boothby's 1934 World Drinks and How to Mix Them for an use of the rest of the lemon juice. There I spotted the Natural which had a decent continuity of flavors from the last drink. Moreover, it had a somewhat Tiki feel to it, so I converted the proportions to something resembling how I would make a Mai Tai; however, I still kept the cocktail glass format instead of serving it on ice. Once assembled, the Natural's lemon nose prepared the mouth for the lemon and pomegranate sip. Next, the swallow shared a rich combination of rum, brandy, butterscotch, and nutty flavors.

nutty like a fruitcake

1 1/2 oz Demerara Rum (El Dorado 3 Year)
1/2 oz Spiced Rum (Kraken)
1 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand Dry)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (St. Elizabeth)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, grated nutmeg, and an orange slice studded with cloves.
Two Wednesdays ago, I turned to the new issue of Imbibe Magazine, found the holiday section, and needed to make the Nutty Like a Fruitcake by Mindy Kucan. Since Mindy works at Hale Pele, I opted for a Tiki vessel instead of an old fashioned glass to make this Mai Tai-inspired spiced number. I also hopped on this recipe for I rather enjoyed her Winter Daiquiri from two years ago. In the glass, the drink shared cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove aromas from the garnishes. On the sip, the orgeat donated a creaminess to the orange and lemon notes, and the swallow presented rum, nutty, orange, and allspice elements.

betty boop

3/4 oz Ron Diplomatico Reserva Rum
3/4 oz Barbancourt 5 Year Rum
1/2 oz Pecan Orgeat
1/2 oz Marie Brizard Crème de Cacao
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a tulip glass. Fill with crushed ice, garnish with a paper parasol, and add a straw.
The drink that I got at Audubon was bartender Sam Spence's contribution to the cartoon-themed section on the menu, the Betty Boop. In the glass, this Tiki number donated a lemon aroma with hints of nut and chocolate. Caramel from the rums paired with the bright lemon on the sip, and the swallow proffered rum, nutty, and chocolate flavors. Indeed, the flavors here took the Betty Boop in an unique direction from the classic Mai Tai that the appears to be the inspiration here.