bonnie prince charlie

2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Drambuie
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned home from my bar shift in need of a nightcap. Therefore, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and landed upon the Bonnie Prince Charlie by Brandon Bramhall at Attaboy in Manhattan circa 2018. While the name reminded me of the Bonnie Prince Charles, instead of a Cognac-Drambuie Sour, it was described as "Rusty Nail-esque. Slightly less intense with the addition of sherry." As a Scotch, Amontillado sherry, and Drambuie stirred drink, it reminded me of the Carpenter's Hand and Camino Del Ray that utilized Armagnac and añejo tequila, respectively. Once prepared, the Bonnie Prince Charlie showed off a lemon, honey, and smoke aroma. Next, grape and honey on the sip led into smoky Scotch, dried fruit, honey, herbal, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

rosales

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Cynar
1 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittercube Jamaican #2)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe (no instructions were provided so this is how I served it).After my bar shift two Fridays ago, I made a recipe that I had noted the night before from the Zig Zag Café flashcards called the Rosales. I was able to spot references to it in a pair of menu photos on Yelp in Spring 2017, and I was lured in for it made me think that it was a Rosita riff. The Rosales once prepared displayed a smoky, vegetal, and orange aroma. Next, orange and caramel on the sip turned into smoky, vegetal, herbal-bitter, and plum flavors on the swallow.

rear admiral

1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 dash Absinthe (12 drop Copper & Kings)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the online set of flashcards that I found from the Zig Zag Café in Seattle, and I spotted the tropical Smith & Cross Daiquiri of sorts called the Rear Admiral. I was not able to find a reference for it on Yelp or other parts of the web, but the combination of crème de banane and allspice dram has worked well before such as in the Meauxbar Rye Cocktail, so I gave it a shot. Once prepared, the Rear Admiral donated a rum funk, pineapple, banana, and allspice aroma to the nose. Next, lime and caramel notes on the sip sailed into funky rum, caramelized banana, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

heck fire

1 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
1 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1/2 oz Aged Pot Still Rum (Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I needed a nightcap after my bar shift so I turned to the Bartender's Choice app. There, I uncovered the Heck Fire by Sam Ross at Nashville's Attaboy circa 2019, and the mezcal, blanc vermouth, and Green Chartreuse components reminded me of Sother Teague's version of the Disco Ball, but here with the aged rum instead of Yellow Chartreuse. In the glass using Smith & Cross as the rum choice, the Heck Fire gave forth smoke, vegetal, and tropical funk aromas. Next, a semi-sweet white grape sip stepped aside for smoky, vegetal, herbaceous, caramel, and rum funk flavors on the swallow.

coperta da sci

3/4 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
3/4 oz Amaro Braulio
3/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I selected Kara Newman's Nightcap book and honed in on Kelly Thorn's Coperta Da Sci created Empire State South in Atlanta. The name translated to "ski lodge blanket" which made it seem like it was too early in the year to try it, but I was lured in by the call for Braulio. Once assembled, the drink showcased an orange, caramel, and grape bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes continued on into the sip where they were followed by apple, caramel, bitter, chocolate, and mint flavors on the swallow.

protect ya neck

1 1/2 oz Aged Rhum Agricole (JM Gold)
3/4 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1/2 oz Peach Liqueur (Mathilde)
1/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe (old fashioned glass), and garnish with a lemon wheel (lemon twist).Two Mondays ago, I spotted Chad Austin's Everyone Has a F*cking Cocktail Book in the drink book shelves, and I began to flip through the pages to find something to make. There, I landed on the Protect Ya Neck (Killa Bees on the Set) that reminded me a little of the Missionary's Downfall with the rum, honey and peach liqueur in the mix. The combination of rhum agricole and Cognac is one that has worked in Her Majesty's Pearl and A Rum with a Vieux and I utilized in the Prelude to a Broken Arm, so I was curious to give it the recipe a try. In the glass, it conjured up lemon, peach, and grassy aromas. Next, a creamy lemon and orchard fruit sip launched into grassy, lemon, peach, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

the staggerly

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz Aquavit (Linie)
3/4 oz Amaro Nardini

The recipe did not specify serving instructions other than an orange twist, so I prepared like an Old Fashioned – stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I uncovered an online collection of recipe flashcards from the Zig Zag Café in Seattle and landed upon the Staggerly. I was able find an early reference to it in a 2013 Yelp review, and it was described in the 2018 book 100 Things to Do in Seattle Before You Die. I was lured in by the rye-aquavit combination that David Wondrich utilized in 2005 in the Old Bay Ridge and I later used in cocktails like the Nude Descending a Staircase. Once assembled the Staggerly donated a lemon, caramel, caraway, and herbal bouquet to the nose. Next, the amaro's caramel filled the sip, and the swallow gave forth rye, caraway, caramel, bitter, and minty flavors.

northern lights

1 1/2 oz Islay Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Fino Sherry (Tio Pepe)
3/4 oz Aperol

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.After my bar shift two Saturdays ago, I returned once again to the Bartender's Choice app as a quick source of a recipe. There, I spotted the Northern Lights that was not the Northern Lights at Craigie on Main (albeit both have Scotch) or the one as a Malört version of Trader Vic's Port Light. This one was Sam Ross' creation circa 2017 at Manhattan's Attaboy that reminded me of a Contessa but with Scotch and Fino instead of gin and dry vermouth. Here, the Northern Lights opened up with a glow of lemon, peat smoke, and orange aromas. Next, a semi-crisp orange and malt sip progressed into smoky Scotch, almond, and orange flavors on the swallow.

sunset park

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.After my bar shift two Fridays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and found the Sunset Park. The recipe was crafted by Michael Madrusan at Manhattan's Milk & Honey circa 2009 as "a lighter, summery Manhattan inspired by Frank's Special (Frank Meier's 1934 combo of gin, dry vermouth, peach liqueur)" that he named after a neighborhood in Brooklyn. In the glass the Sunset Park welcomed the senses with a lemon, rye, apricot, and clove bouquet. Next, a semi-dry orchard fruit sip flowed into rye, bitter apricot, cinnamon, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Over all, it came across like a lighter Slope or less herbal-bitter Mulberry Bend.