kitty hawk

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Bulleit)
1/2 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Wednesdays ago, I spied an intriguing cocktail called the Kitty Hawk on the Kindred Cocktails database. The recipe was crafted by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2020, and the combination reminded me a little of the Corpse Reviver from Crosby Gaige's 1941 Cocktail Guide & Lady's Companion. Once built, the Kitty Hawk flew to the nose with a Bourbon, lemon, and caramel aroma. Next, lemon, caramel, and pear notes on the sip soared to Bourbon, tea, rum, clove, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

the curly-tailed lion

1 1/2 oz Genever (Bols)
1 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
2 dash Absinthe (2/3 bsp Kübler)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I wondered how Genever would pair with grapefruit liqueur since the spirit had worked well with grapefruit juice in drinks like the One-Armed French Hooker and the Genever Horse's Neck. To balance the drink, I felt that Cardamaro along with absinthe highlights would round out the profile. For a name, I returned back to the Wooden Shoe and dubbed this the Curly-Tailed Lion after another Dutch fairy tale. In the glass, the drink proffered a malt and grapefruit bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and grapefruit on the sip pawed at a Genever and fruity swallow with a grapefruit peel and anise finish. Overall, the combination made for a surprisingly bright drink especially with the absinthe.

belfast bastard

2 oz Tanqueray Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Combier Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
2 dash Regan's Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.Two Mondays ago, I ventured back into Gary Regan's The Negroni and became curious about the Belfast Bastard. This recipe crafted by Jack McGarry at the Dead Rabbit in Manhattan was his summery riff on the Lucien Gaudin with grapefruit liqueur in place of the orange one. In the glass, the grapefruit aromas from the twist's oils and the liqueur met the nose along with hints of orange from the Campari. Next, citrus peel notes on the sip led into gin, grapefruit, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

el sistema

1 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Diplomatico Riserva Exclusiva)
1/2 oz Famous Grouse Scotch
1/2 oz Averna
1/2 oz Vanilla Gomme (1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup)
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Tempus Fugit)
1 Whole Egg

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass (cocktail coupe), and garnish with freshly grated chocolate.

Two Sundays ago, I returned to the Hawthorne's bar bible and spotted the El Sistema created by Caitlin Hoey circa 2017. The drink's menu subtitle of "to the salutatory power of the classics" referred to the program in Venezuela that began in 1975 where impoverished children were taken off the streets and taught classical-based music.This program was so successful in saving the lives of countless youths that it was spread worldwide. To top off that tribute, the rest was a delightful sounding dessert Flip.El Sistema greeted the senses with chocolate and dark rum aromas. Next, a creamy chocolate and caramel sip launched into rum, Scotch, chocolate, and vanilla flavors on the swallow with a herbal finish.

powerful baritone

1 1/2 oz Cutty Sark Prohibition Scotch
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/4 oz Strega
1/4 oz Becherovka
2 dash 18.21 Bitters Leon Ginger Tincture (Berg & Hauck Lemon Bitters)

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, and stir to mix and chill. Garnish with a spritz of Laphroaig and a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago, I was curious about a recipe that I spotted in a Punch Drinks article on Penicillin riffs. The one that called out to me was the Powerful Baritone by Sother Teague of Amor y Amargo, and he crafted this variation without citrus juice which I had only tasted once before in the Penicillin Flip. The Powerful Baritone once assembled crooned out a lemon oil and peat smoke bouquet. Next, malt with an almost honey-like note on the sip transferred into peaty Scotch, orange, and star anise flavors on the swallow with a lemon and spice finish.

wayfarer

1 1/2 oz Fords Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Two Fridays ago, I turned to the Hawthorne's bar bible and spotted the Wayfarer by Mackenzie Cavanagh circa 2016 which was captioned, "it is better to travel well than to arrive." The combination of maple syrup and Cynar was one that worked well in a variety of drinks including the Mortal Sunset and Sherry Duval, so I was curious to see how it would work with gin and lime here.The Wayfarer proffered pine and lime notes over richer maple aromas. Next, lime with maple's flavors and mouthfeel on the sip led into gin, maple, and bitter earthy aspects from the Cynar on the swallow.

erika marie

1 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe pre-rimmed with salt and freshly ground black pepper.Two Thursdays, I chose the Brooklyn Bartender book by Carey Jones and spotted the Erika Marie. This recipe was crafted by Nathan Ricke at the Exley, and the use of a women's name reminded me of The Erin by Toby Cecchini; unlike Toby's drink, there was no backstory provided here. Once prepared, the Erika Marie donated a smoke, bright citrus, and cracked black pepper aroma to the nose. Next, lime and tangerine notes on the sip slipped into mezcal and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

without a trace

1 1/2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Angel's Envy)
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I picked Nico Martini's Texas Cocktails book out of the library and spotted the Without a Trace. This recipe was crafted at Bar 1919 in San Antonio, and the combination reminded me of a Black Manhattan and a Gold Rush mash-up akin to the Rose Gold. Once prepared, the Without a Trace donated an orange, honey, and anise bouquet to the nose. Next, the honey and lemon mingled on the sip, and the swallow displayed the Bourbon and orange-herbal flavors.

spaghetti western

1 oz Siete Leguas Reposado Tequila (Lunazul)
1/2 oz Los Nahuales Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1 dash Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I delved into the Death & Co. Cocktail Book and spotted the Spaghetti Western. This recipe was crafted by Jessica Gonzalez in 2011, and it reminded me of an agave Black Manhattan. Once prepared, the Spaghetti Western brought forth a grapefruit oil, savory, smoky, vegetal, and orange aroma. Next, caramel and a hint of citrus on the sip roped in a smoky agave and soft herbal swallow.