:: fred's picks for the top cocktails of 2012 (out) ::

In December 2010, someone asked me what was my favorite cocktail of the year, and I was a little lost for words for there were so many. Therefore, I decided to sort it out by dividing the list down by month and also by whether I had them out at a bar or in at home. My choices were influenced by two factors -- tastiness and uniqueness; it had to be both memorable and worth repeating. The drinks were organized by when they were written about and not when they were had. Since this list was very popular the past two years, here is the third installment. Without further ado, here is the monthly breakdown for drinks I had out on the town for 2012. And for some reason, it is a lot less egg-laden than last year's list.

January: For the best drink out, I chose the Wilhelm Scream at Craigie on Main; the complexity of spirit, the herbal notes, and the vast cinematic history of the drink name as a talking point made for a memorable and delicious experience. For runners up, I picked Brick & Mortar's Streets of Gettysburg crafted in quintessential Misty Kalkofen style and Bergamot's A Few of My Favorite Things -- luckily, Paul Manzelli's list overlaps with mine.

February: With Green Chartreuse, Batavia Arrack, pineapple, and other ingredients organized into an old school style, No. 9 Park's Swamp Water Fix gets the nod for February. The fact that the genesis of the drink traces back to something a guest had at the Rathskeller just adds icing on the cake. The runners up were Eastern Standard's Scotch El Presidente riff, the Coup d'État, and Backbar's herbal and floral number, the Oregon Trail (yes, named after the video game and from where its gin component was made).
March: Oaxaca Moon, Bergamot's elegant reworking of Craigie's infamous Northern Lights, was a delightful pick; perhaps it was the Pineau des Charentes that made it especially unique. For runners up, Stoddard's Scotch-based Tiki drink, the Angry Barista, and Clio's nutty Daiquiri variation, Joe Bans You, bring March in like a Lion's Tail and out like a Lamb's Club.

April: Winner for April was also the cover for Drink & Tell: A Boston Cocktail Book -- Backbar's Last Word variation called the Back Word. A strong runner up was Rob Kraemer from Chez Henri's Down at the Dinghy which seemed like a cross between an Irma la Douce and a Lamplighter. Also a runner up was Estragon's bitter and nutty aperitif, the Four Moors, which achieved harmony in only 3 ingredients.

May: The drink I picked for May was Lasky Last Night -- Todd Maul's update of a Embury drink at Clio that maintains the classic feel. Also of note were the Citizen's Last Date and Eastern Standard's Nouvelle Fleur.
June: June was a challenge to narrow it down, but Hawthorne's tropical tribute to Chartreuse, the St. Bruno's Swizzle, was a stunner. For runners up, Temple Bar's Snake in the Grass and J.M. Curley's hybrid of a Toronoto and Milano-Torino (Americano), the Torontino, get the honors.

July: July was a great month for cocktail riffs. Drink's variation of the 20th Century using tequila and Saler's called the Copper Cannon was a great showcase for the gentian liqueur. For runners up, I couldn't cut this list down to by one, so here are three: Trina's Starlite Lounge's watermelon Corpse Reviver #33, Island Creek Oyster Bar's Paper Schooner, and Backbar's Start of a New Road.
August: The elegance of Stoddard's the Blood of My Enemies was noteworthy. For runners up, Brick & Mortar's Darkness til Dawn with its Fernet and Cherry Heering pairing and No. 9 Park's room temperature falernum and sherry-laden Tequila Scaffa got my attention.

September: September's choice was one that was recommended that I check out -- the Cara-Me-Away from the Regal Beagal which surprised me with its classic feel. For runners up, I chose Sichuan Garden II's follow-up to the Peychaud's-heavy Gunshop Fizz, the Antoine's Demise, and Rendezvous' Scotch and herbal Gloamin Dwines.
October: I was impressed by No. 9 Park's Modern Cocktail-like Burning Ice with Swedish Punsch and Pedro Ximenez sherry adding beautiful notes to the mix. Backbar's melange, the Aftermath, and Estragon's homage to their neighborhood, the South End Sling, were noteworthy for the month of October.

November: For November, I selected a great Little Italy-like drink that included extra flavors from Bonal called the Bicycle Thief from the Blue Room. Nana's Rocker with its herbal apple and grape from Russell House Tavern and Trina's Starlite Lounge's Slurred Word as a loose Last Word variation with Smith & Cross deserve mention. Note: A good part of November was spent talking about drinks from Portland Cocktail Week and that deserves its own category at the end!

December: I was torn over who to give December's top spot to since they were very different drinks; Russell House Tavern's hot Sazerac Toddy and Trina's Starlite Lounge's carroty Bugs Bunny tribute, the Left Turn at Alburqueurque were quite tasty. For a single runner up, Scholar's Señor Elmo's Fire reminded me of something Phil Ward might concoct!
Portland, Oregon: Over the eight days we were there, I wrote about 10 different places we had drinks. The best drink has to go to the White Buddha from Lúc Lác; this tequila-Chartreuse-cucumber Ramos-style drink was spoken about by others as well that week. For runners up, it was a tough call but Teardrop's A New Hope and Kask's Prospector seem like solid picks.

Yes, that is forty drinks, which out does last year's 37, and should give Camper English an even better chuckle this year about how well I can narrow things down.

:: fred's top 10 cocktail moments of 2012 ::

In 2010, I was asked what my favorite drink of the year was and I decided not only to start a list of my favorite drinks I had out and in, but I decided to list the top 10 moments of the previous 12 months. The one for 2010 can be found here and last year's there. The list for the best drinks of 2012 out and in will most likely be posted on January 1st and 2nd, respectively.

1. Still Around
Despite hearing about the Death of Cocktail Blogging, CocktailVirgin is still here and growing in terms of followers, page hits, and infamy. Indeed, the blog is mentioned and used as a reference and resource by a variety of print and web magazines. 2012 saw the blog's 5th anniversary in September and my 4th anniversary with it in June. Speaking of the strength of blogs in general, I also took over MixologyMonday in September to keep the event that Paul Clarke found in 2006 going for more years to come; it definitely serves as a monthly community center meetup that provides some sense of unity in the blogosphere.

2. Visited New Bars in Boston
The Hawthorne, Backbar, and Brick & Mortar all got visits shortly after they opened at the end of 2011; I definitely learned to love each of them for very different reasons. The list for 2012 contains both new and new-to-me bars. One of my new favorites, the Blue Room, has been around for years; however, Matthew Schrage has recently taken over their bar program. It also helps to solidify Kendall Square along with new comer West Bridge and old standbys like Hungry Mother and Abigail's as well as Catalyst which I have yet to visit. Likewise, Local 149 has gotten my attention ever since John Mayer left Craigie to manage the bar there. Other bars that have been around that I have added to the loop are Scholar's, Sichuan Garden II, and Art Bar. Finally, other new bars for 2012 are J.M. Curley across from Stoddard's and Park in Harvard Square; technically, J.M. Curley opened in the last week or two of 2011, but it was not until early 2012 that I first visited.

3. This, That, the Other
During the first week or so of 2012, we paid a visit to the Independent in Somerville, and Andrea ordered the This, That, the Other that I had enjoyed so much. The bartender declared that they had run out of one of the key ingredients since "some blogger" had written it up as one of the best drinks of 2011 and people came in and cleared them out of Maurin Quina (it is back on the menu again, so go order one!). Also, another side effect of that best of 2011 cocktail list was Eastern Standard being touched when I named the Rapa Nui not only the best drink of January but one of the best Tiki drinks I had that year as well. Thus, they changed the drink's description on the menu:
4. Winning Contests!
One of the first contests I won this year was for Drinking in America's Cabin Fever Cocktail Challenge with my Pokey Crocus. I also won the Hiram Walker Margarita Madness contest with my Diablita -- a Diablo-Margarita hybrid. My Pegu Club riff, the Tanglin Club, also got picked by TheDailyMeal as the best drink on ShakeStir when they looked.
5. Visiting Distilleries
2012 had more involvement with distilleries than previous years. Part of the fun was helping GrandTen in South Boston develop their Wire Works Gin through two rounds of tasting. It was great not only seeing the improvements after each round but their ability to take abstract commentary and interpret it into changes in the botanical choices and ratios. I also met people involved in the two rum distilleries in Ipswich during the Boston Cocktail Summit. They invited me up for a split day of tours first at Privateer and then Turkey Shore. I did meet the distillers from Ryan & Wood at the Cocktail Summit, but I have yet to make it up there.

6. A Cocktail Book?
If you had asked me at the end of 2011 if I was planning to write a book, the answer would have been no. However, a freeing up of personal time mixed with a wise old lady telling me that I should write a book, and 4 months later, Drink & Tell: A Boston Cocktail Book was born. It has been selling well at the Boston Shaker Store and at Amazon (see links on the upper right of this page). Writing the book was a lot of hard work but it wasn't that challenging to me, but everything that came afterwards was uncharted territory. I had a great series of interviews with the first few hunting me out immediately. These include ones that appeared in Eater, Boston Magazine, Boston.com, and the Metro not to mention a great writeup in SeriousEats. I am still getting a handle on how to promote things better, but I am thankful that everything I have gleaned from this learning experience.

7. Portland Visit
While attending the Boston Cocktail Summit was definitely worth mentioning, going to a distant city to tour the bars was great. We were there for Portland Cocktail Week, and as a fringe benefit of Drink & Tell, I was invited to speak at the conference on publishing a book. There, I also took and passed Barsmarts Advanced and with that came a year's membership to the USBG. We are currently working our way through both seasons of Portlandia in its afterglow.
8. Future Things Lined Up
One of my recipes, the Knickroni, will be in Gary Regan's Negroni book slated to come out in the first half of 2013. I also submitted a recipe for his 2013 cocktail recipe book so perhaps there too? At the end of January next year, I will be teaching a class with John Gertsen at Stir with a tie in to the book I wrote. And mid-February, I am slated to have my pro-bartending debute; I will be teaming up with the Hawthorne's Katie Emmerson to do one of the Blue Room's Monday night special events.

9. Great Boston Events!
This year, Boston threw its own cocktail week, and I covered it as media. Other great Boston parties, competitions, etc. that I attended included the Hawthorne's Farewell to Bathtub Gin, TheThing at Locke-Ober (shortly before it closed), Fernet Barback Games, Speedrack, Appleton's Remixology, J.D. Salinger 9 Stories-themed charity event, Single Malt Scotch Whisky Extravaganza, and the American Craft Beer Fest to name just a few.

10. I knew I should have paced myself...
I think I combined too many ideas together in some of the previous 9. Then again, I had a similar problem with the last two year end roundups, so perhaps I should make it a yearly top 9 (except that I'll probably get stuck after #8 that way). Instead of mentioning any accomplishments, I should probably give thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way with these goals (besides all the bartenders who have helped to give me great source material to write about!). This list includes but is not limited to Camper English, Paul Clarke, Josh Childs, Sahil Mehta, Luke O'Neil, Stephanie Schorow, Dave Stolte, Natalie Bovis, Adam Lantheume, Jamie Walsh, Alexei Beratis, Mike Dietsch, and John Gertsen. I know I am missing plenty, but these guys have helped me with the book, various events, and the like.

the independent

1 1/2 oz Citizen's Miltonduff Single Barrel Scotch
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
2 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe glass.

Two Mondays ago after my DJing gig, we headed over to Tasty Burger for dinner followed by a nightcap at the Citizen Public House where bartenders Sean Frederick and Dave Delaney were busy slinging drinks. For my cocktail, I asked Sean for the Independent. In discussing the drink, Sean poured us a taste of the unique Scotch that serves as the recipe's base spirit. Their barrel of the Miltonduff single malt was surprisingly soft and gentle with cacao and grassy notes.
The Punt e Mes' grape and the Curaçao and perhaps Cocchi Americano's orange aromas filled the Independent's bouquet. The Scotch's malt joined the citrus and grape flavors on the sip. Next, the Scotch continued on into the swallow along with orange peel notes and the Punt e Mes' bitter elements.

:: let's bring back - the cocktail edition :: & the veritas cocktail

3/4 oz Gin (Martin Miller Westbourne)
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a small cocktail glass, and float 1/4 oz crème de cassis (it will probably sink on you though; I later stirred it in).

Following the After Dark two Fridays ago, I began to peruse my new copy of Lesley Blume's Let's Bring Back: The Cocktail Edition. A Compendium of Impish, Romantic, Amusing, and Occasionally Appalling Potations from Bygone Eras. The book is a recently published collection of classic recipes, many of which have been forgotten over time and are rarely called upon despite appearing in more common books like Duffy and Trader Vic's. Blume explains, "Plenty of splendid cocktails have been rudely shunted aside after falling out of vogue -- and their successors often do not hold a candle to the drinks they replace." Sourcing recipes from the late 19th century up until the 1960s, the collection takes a humorous look at a literal gross of these drinks with special attention given to potations with noteworthy names. Each recipe is accompanied by a short history including entertaining facts or quotes about people involved, and the page is decorated rather elegantly in period fashion. For critique, if you have a decent collection, you will probably have most of these drinks; however, having them displayed in a new and favorable light will probably make you more willing to try them. In addition, some of the recipes are not my preferred ones such as the Fluffy Ruffles not including a piece of lime peel in the shake to make it more than just a Rum Manhattan (something that I discussed with BoulderLibation who repeated the drink with the peel after I urged him to try). Also, the Symphony of Moist Joy has a newer recipe that avoids the expensive and difficult to source crème de rose and sadly replaces it with grenadine of all things (but at least you can make it). Regardless, this book is stylish and there is much value in the text and illustrations that puts a positive perspective on these semi-neglected gems.
While I was tempted to do the Symphony of Moist Joy since it has one of the best cocktail names ever, I am still holding out for now until Crispin's Crème de Rose made at the Germain-Robin distillery in California makes its way out to Massachusetts. Instead, I opted for the Veritas Cocktail which seemed like a Pegu Club of sorts that swapped the Angostura Bitters for crème de cassis. The cassis was added as a float, but knowing that cassis is one of the most densely sugared liqueurs out there, it as expected still sunk no matter how carefully I layered it. While it is pictured above with a cassis layer on the bottom, I ended up stirring it in. The liqueur's currant joined the Cointreau's orange on the nose. An orange and lime sip contained berry flavors, and the swallow showcased the gin along with more cassis and the lime's tartness. Overall, the crème de cassis added a lot of complexity here without dominating the drink like cassis can often do.

after dark cocktail

1 1/2 oz Lustau Don Nuño Dry Oloroso Sherry
3/4 oz El Tesoro Reposado Tequila (Espolón)
1/4 oz Galliano Ristretto Espresso Liqueur
1/4 oz Benedictine
1 dash Mole Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Fridays ago, I decided to make a drink from the recent Vino de Jerez cocktail competition. The one that called out to me was also the winner -- the After Dark created by Dan Nicolaescu of Mayahuel in New York City. Once mixed, the After Dark greeted the nose with a coffee and chocolate aroma. A grape and roasted sip was followed by a nutty sherry, herbal, and chocolate swallow. When the drink was cold, the tequila was not as apparent, but it seemed to fit in quite well; as it warmed up, the agave flavors began to appear on the swallow.  The tequila-nutty sherry combination also worked rather well in a Thomas Waugh's 2009 contest entry, the Delores Park Swizzle.

tangier nights

2/5 Caloric Punch (1 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch)
2/5 Courvoisier Brandy (1 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac)
1/5 Cusenier White Crème de Menthe (1/2 oz Tempus Fugit)

Stir with ice and strain into a sherry glass (small cocktail glass).

Two weeks ago, I spotted Tempus Fugit's crème de menthe at Ball Square Fine Wines in Somerville. I had been waiting for a quality crème de menthe for a while as a savoir from the bottom shelf bottles, so I gladly snagged a bottle. For tasting notes, it was more subtle than expected; indeed, it was more herbal with natural peppermint and spearmint notes and less of an intense, almost synthetic extract flavor that is common in many of the other brands. For a cocktail to put it use, I looked through the Café Royal Cocktail Book and found the Tangier Nights. The recipe was an original created in the 1930s by UK Bartender Guild member Freddy Janowitz and looked like a Stinger that was enhanced by Swedish Punsch.
The Punsch's rum joined the liqueur's mint on the nose. A smooth sip led into brandy, mint, and the Punsch's tea on the swallow. As it warmed up, the Tangier Nights became a little sharper and more Batavia Arrack-driven on the finish; perhaps serving this drink on crushed ice like the Stinger might help to reduce this effect.

cedric's chartreuse smash

2 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Muddle a half dozen or so mint leaves with simple syrup. Add rest of ingredients and ice, shake, and double strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with fresh mint and add a straw.

For Andrea's drink at Silvertone, she requested from bartender Josh Childs a Chartreuse Smash. The recipe for this libation appears in Drink & Tell: A Boston Cocktail Book; however, it has yet to find its way on to the blog until now. The history I provided in the book is, "At Silvertone, if Cedric Adam's name is associated with a drink, there is a good chance it contains Green Chartreuse." Indeed, my first drink at Silvertone years ago was Cedric's Chartreuse Gimlet. As I mentioned in the summary of the History and Change of Downtown Boston Bar Culture talk, Cedric was one of the first bartenders in town pouring and prosthelytizing about the wonders of this herbal elixir, and he is often cited as the reason it became so popular here starting around 15 years ago. Silvertone was also one of the leaders in using fresh juice in Boston, so drinks like the Gimlets and Smashes would shine more than drinks made with Roses' and bottled juices back then.
As for tasting notes, the mint contributed greatly to the Smash's aroma along with Chartreuse herbal notes poking through. A lime sip gave way to Chartreuse and fresh mint on the swallow. There are no great surprises here, but its simplicity of ingredients still provides a wealth of flavor as it does in another Boston Chartreuse legend, the Silent Order.

wood word

3/4 oz Citadel Gin
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Dimmi Liqueur
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

A few Thursdays ago, we had dinner at Silvertone. After dining, we noted a pair of seats at the bar and sat down for a drink. Bartender Josh Childs offered to make me a Wood Word, a Last Word variation that appears on the Trina's Starlite Lounge's menu. The recipe was created by Scott Woodworth, a bartender at Catalyst, and is a play on his name. His variation uses Dimmi instead of Maraschino; besides the herbal notes in Dimmi that would work well with the gin and Chartreuse, it possesses peach and apricot flower notes that perhaps function for the Maraschino's fruity side.
The Wood Word showcased the Green Chartreuse aroma, but it was devoid of the nutty Maraschino notes present in a Last Word. The lime sip was followed by gin, Dimmi, and Chartreuse botanicals. Indeed, the Dimmi added a lot of herbal depth to the mix and helped to meld the gin and Chartreuse together. Moreover, somehow there was a ghost of Maraschino flavor on the swallow that could be attributed to the fruit blossoms in the Dimmi.

farewell & adieu

1 1/2 oz Del Maguey San Luis Del Rio
1 1/2 oz Privateer Amber Rum
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Drambuie
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
For a nightcap at Russell House Tavern, John McElroy mentioned the Fairwell & Adieu that he had created. I remembered reading about the drink a few weeks before in Josh Childs' blog post on Boston.com. When John mentioned the large, booze-forward recipe, I figured that the name of the drink was a direct correlation of its effects. However, John explained that it was the song that Quint sings in Jaws:

Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies,
Farewell and adieu you ladies of Spain;
For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston,
And so nevermore shall we see you again.

The Fairwell & Adieu's aroma was rather mezcal driven. A honey and barrel-aged rum sip led into a mezcal and herbal swallow. Taken as a whole, the drink was reminiscent of a single malt Scotch.