urban anxiety

1 oz Cachaça (Seleta Gold)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Dolin)
3/4 oz Cynar
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Flame a grapefruit peel (omitted flaming) over the top and drop in for garnish.

Two Tuesdays ago, I found the Urban Anxiety as I flipped through the 75th anniversary edition of the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide. The recipe was created by Aaron Defeo of Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona, and it came across as a cachaça Negroni variation of sorts. With the Cynar in the mix, it reminded me a lot of Jacob Grier's Midnight Shift and Eastern Standard's pisco-based El Capitan (which I had misremembered as a cachaça drink when I was making my notes).
The Urban Anxiety presented a grapefruit oil nose over grassy grape aromas. A caramel and grape sip was followed by a grassy swallow that blended elegantly into the Cynar's herbal notes. Finally, the swallow finished with a cinnamon-like spice.

steady as she goes

1 1/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Averna
2 dash Mole Bitters

Build in a rocks glass with ice. Top with soda, gently stir, garnish with an orange wedge, and add straws.
For a drink at Merrill & Co., Andrea asked bartender Bryn Tattan for the Steady As She Goes, one of their soda fountain drinks. Once built, the drink offered an orange aroma. A lightly carbonated sip gave way to more caramel notes than grape. Finally, the swallow offered elegant chocolate herbal flavors that made this drink quite delightful.

jim rose

2 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 barspoon Fernet Branca

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Two Sundays ago, Andrea wanted to go to Myers & Chang in the South End. Afterwards, we decided to catch a night cap at Merrill & Co. For my drink, I asked bartender Bryn Tattan for the Jim Rose. I have to assume that the name is a riff on the classic Jack Rose cocktail and something from the Jim Beam product line. In addition, the most famous Jim Rose is a the ringleader for a circus sideshow that I saw at the Lollapalooza festival in 1992. Instead of the Peychaud's Bitters that appear in various Boston bars' Jack Rose cocktails (via the Jack Rose Society's conclusions back in 2005), the Jim Rose calls for a healthy dash of Fernet Branca.
The cherry garnish's aroma joined that of the lime and a hint of Fernet. A malt, lime, and pomegranate sip led into a Bourbon swallow with a fruit-tinged Fernet Branca's menthol finish.

hurricane caesar

1 1/2 oz Bacardi 8 Rum
1 oz Rhum Clement VSOP (here: Barrel Select)
1 oz Passion Fruit-Honey Syrup (*)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice and strain into a Hurricane glass. Fill with crushed ice, add straws, and layer 1/2 oz Campari on top. Grate nutmeg as garnish as well as a lime wheel and cherry on a cocktail pick.
(*) 2 part passion fruit concentrate, 1 part honey, 1 part water.

After Puritan & Company, I continued my way home but stopped into Backbar to congratulate Joe Cammarata for winning the Tales of the Cocktail Hurricane Competition. After Joe named all of the drinks of the day and week, I shook my head and replied that I was here to try his winning drink! Just like Sahil Mehta's Category 1 entry, Joe utilized the excellent flavor pairing of passion fruit and Campari. Google told me that there was a Hurricane Cesar in 1996 but no Hurricane Caesar though; Joe explained that he created this recipe on the Ides of March's drink of the day at Backbar.
Once prepared, the Hurricane Caesar offered a lime and nutmeg aroma with hints of rum. A citrus and passion fruit-filled sip gave way to the passion fruit-Campari combination on the swallow. As the drink drained, the Campari notes became stronger in the mix.

the dissenter

1 1/2 oz Zucca Amaro
1 1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1 barspoon Crème de Cassis

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.
Two Thursdays ago after getting dinner in Central Square, I decided to stop into Puritan & Company to try out a drink from their new cocktail menu. I was in the mood for something light, so I asked bartender Josh Cole for The Dissenter, and Josh described how it was one of the opening bartender's creation. Once mixed, it offered Zucca's herbal aromas on the nose. A grape-driven sip was bolstered by the cassis, and the swallow shared Zucca's bitter flavors and finished with a tart cassis note. I am always impressed at how Zucca can carry such simple cocktail recipes such as the Monopatín and the 11+2/12+1.

artist special (variation)

1 oz Soberano Spanish Brandy
1 oz Valdespino Palo Cortado Sherry
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Grenadine

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
The last drink that I had at Straight Law was a variation on the whisky-based Artist Special that first appeared in the Savoy Cocktail Book. The book provided the history of, "This is the genuine ‘Ink of Inspiration’ imbibed at the Bal Bullier Paris. The recipe is from the Artists Club, Rue Pigalle, Paris." The three major changes from the classic were swapping the whisky base to Spanish brandy, changing from the hard to find (but not impossible to make) groseille syrup to grenadine, and stirring instead of shaking this citrus-laden libation. To compare and contrast, Sean also made me an Old Overholt Rye version to see what the Spanish brandy brings to the table.
The Artist Special shared a fruity aroma from the grenadine and sherry, and this element was greater in the brandy version than in the rye one. A grenadine, lemon, and grape sip shifted to a smooth and elegant sherry and brandy swallow. I have to assume that the stirring instead of shaking change played a role in making this a more contemplative sipper.

cappelletti smash

2 oz Cappelletti Aperitivo
1/2 Lemon (cut into 6 pieces) (*)
2 heaping tsp Sugar

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and add straws.
(*) Sometimes made with lime as well.

Two Mondays ago, I traveled down to the Kenmore area after work to stop in at Straight Law opened by Drink alumni Sean Sullivan with help from Will Thompson. Sean is the sole bartender for the six nights a week the establishment is open, and the space flows smoothly between Taberno de Haro and the bar. Luckily, for food the restaurant's full menu is available, and the tapas and flavors meld with the drink styles and size rather well. Many of Straight Laws drinks feature sherry -- between the Spanish restaurant it cohabitates with and the cocktail from the Savoy Cocktail Book that it is named after. While I started with a 50-50 Martini as my post-shift drink, I next selected the Cappelletti Smash, a Smash inspired by by Dominic Venegas' Aperol one. Cappelletti is a bitter liqueur with herbal and orange notes that falls in the middle of Aperol, Campari, and sweet vermouth; I was first introduced to the spirit at Backbar via their Transatlantic Scaffa.
The Cappelletti Smash began with a mint and herbal aroma. A sweet lemon sip was countered by a lightly bitter, herbal grape swallow. Overall, the Smash was perfect for the rather hot day, and it was a joy to drink as the breeze blew through the restaurant from the back door out to the patio.

white dahlia

1 1/2 oz La Puritita Mezcal
1/2 oz Combier Crème de Pamplemousse Rose
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe.
Two Sundays ago, I made my way over to Brick & Mortar where Matt Schrage and Lea Madda were at the stick. For a drink, Lea mentioned that she had an off-menu mezcal drink called the White Dahlia, and it seemed worthy of a try. Lea explained that the dahlia became the national flower of Mexico in 1963, and the white part stemmed from the drink's striking color. Once mixed, the White Dahlia shared a grapefruit and lime aroma. A sweet citrus sip displayed the grapefruit notes the strongest, and the mezcal and Angostura Bitters worked well to dry out the swallow. Overall, the recipe and balance reminded me of the classic Culross, and with the agave distillate, it came across more like a Sister Mary than a Margarita.

fedora

1 pony glass Brandy (1 oz Foret)
1 pony glass Curaçao (1/2 oz Cointreau)
1/2 pony glass Jamaica Rum (1/2 oz Smith & Cross)
1/2 pony glass Bourbon (1/2 oz Weller 107)
1 tablespoon Sugar dissolved in a little water (1/2 oz Simple)
1 slice lemon (1 oz Lemon Juice)

Shake with ice and strain into a tumbler filled with fresh ice. Garnish with berries or small pieces of orange, and serve with a straw. (Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass).

For the second time in the last year, a server at the restaurant has asked if I can do a Fedora Cocktail. I have a vague recollection of the components from reading through Harry Johnson's 1882 New and Improved Bartender's Manual, so I reply that I can and then look up the specifics on the web. Therefore, I decided to make one at home in less of a rush and think through the drink. On the left above is from Johnson, and the right above is a modernization with help from Stan Jones' Complete Barguide (which is what appears on CocktailDB that I have used at work). I have been serving the drink up at work instead of on crushed ice, so I went that route. The curaçao was tuned down by 1895 in George Kappeler’s Modern American Drinks to about what I used. In the end, it is akin to a 3-spirits Sidecar with some of the orange liqueur substituted for simple syrup. Moreover, instead of all brandy in a Sidecar, there is the funkiness of Jamaican rum and the maltiness of whiskey. The drink itself was named after the hat as well as the play written around the time of Johnson's book.
The Fedora offered a lemon and orange aroma that continued on into a sweet lemon and orange sip. The Jamaican rum and brandy came through the strongest on the swallow that ended with an orange peel note. Sadly, the Bourbon was a bit lost here, so perhaps a more robust whiskey would have done better; I do regret not reaching for the Fighting Cock 103...