infante

2 oz Tequila (Lunazul Blanco)
1 oz Lime Juice (3/4 oz)
3/4 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Two Fridays ago, I returned to Michael Madrusan and Zara Young's A Spot at the Bar book and selected the Infante attributed to Giuseppe Gonzalez. As a Tequila Daisy sweetened with orgeat, it reminded me of a streamlined Trader Vic's Pinky Gonzalez or perhaps my Silver Surfer. My later sleuthing determined that Giuseppe created this at Dutch Kills circa 2009, and the recipe in Sam Ross' app includes 3 drops of orange blossom water in the mix. Moreover, the drink name is another tribute to Pedro Infante, the singer-actor from the golden age of Mexican cinema, which Misty Kalkofen honored in her A Slow Dance with Pedro Infante.
The Infante greeted the nose with an earthy, nutty, and vegetal agave bouquet. Next, a creamy lime sip sang out before an agave melding into earthy almond swallow.

sirius swizzle

1 1/2 oz Linie Aquavit (Aalborg)
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Ruby Port (Taylor Fladgate)
1/2 oz Cardamaro
1 tsp Maple Syrup

Build in a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill. Garnish with a Crusta-style grapefruit twist.
Two Thursdays ago, I was checking up on the history of the Prizefighter series by Nicholas Jarrett that he posted on BarNotes. There, I spotted his Sirius Swizzle that seemed like a refreshing yet complex libation that I probably skipped previously when I lacked Cardamaro at home. I was intrigued by the grapefruit-maple combination that worked rather well in the Volcano Bowl and that I experienced recently in the Gill-Man Grog; those flavors were rounded out by aquavit, Cardamaro, and ruby port in this Flatiron Lounge circa 2011 creation. In the glass, the Sirius Swizzle met the nose with a grapefruit and caraway bouquet. Next, the grapefruit mingled with the port's and Cardamaro's fruity grape notes on the sip, and the swallow proffered caraway, grape-herbal, and maple flavors.

mynah bird

1 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (El Dorado 12 Year)
3/4 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Campari
1/4 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 tsp Crème de Cacao (Tempus Fugit)
5 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
Two Wednesdays ago, I selected Leo Robitschek's The NoMad Cocktail Book and spotted Nathan O'Neill's Mynah Bird that was described as "a stirred Tiki drink with the flavors of a Jungle Bird cocktail." With crème de cacao in the mix, it reminded me of the Yucatan Bird. Once prepared, the Mynah Bird donated a caramel and molasses aroma to the nose. Next, the caramel notes continued on into the sip, and the swallow flew in with rum and dark chocolate flavors followed by a bitter orange finish.

how to kill a friend

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Oxford 1970)
1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
4 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs.
Two Tuesdays ago, I selected a recipe that I had spotted in December's Imbibe Magazine called the How to Kill a Friend that I set aside since I lacked mint for the garnish (given that I grow so much mint throughout the year, I refused to buy it in the off season). This mezcal Jungle Bird riff was crafted by Paul Shanrock at Seattle's Stampede Cocktail Club. Once prepared, the How to Kill a Friend lent a mint, smoke, and grape aroma to the nose. Next, grape, lime, and pineapple notes on the sip plunged into smoky mezcal, raisin, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow with a clove finish.

elusive dreams

1 oz Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
1 oz Blended Unaged Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique (unblended))
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a pineapple wedge (omit) and an orchid (honeysuckles).
Two Mondays ago, I was in the mood for something tropical, so I reached for Chloe Frechette's Easy Tiki book. There, I was lured in by Demi Natoli's Elusive Dreams that she created at Nashville's Patterson House as her spin on the Hotel Nacional Special. In the glass, the Elusive Dreams conjured up cinnamon, banana, and pineapple notes to the nose. Next, lime and pineapple mingled on the sip, and the swallow showcased rum, pineapple, banana, and cinnamon flavors to create an apple pie-like feel.

5th amendment

1 3/4 oz Bourbon (Angel's Envy)
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dash Hawaii Bitters Lilikoi Bitters (Bittermens Burlesque)

Stir with ice, strain into a rock glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.
Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a recipe that I had spotted earlier in the week in Punch Drinks called the 5th Amendment by David Thor Newman of Pint & Jigger in Honolulu. Since I had a chance to meet Dave in Louisville as we visited the Angel's Envy distillery for training in late January, I figured that utilizing their port-finished Bourbon would be quite apropos. The 5th Amendment welcomed the senses with a lemon, menthol, and Bourbon aroma. Next, malt with a hint of caramel and honey on the sip passed into whiskey, herbal, menthol, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

three treasures

1 1/2 oz Unaged Cachaça (Cuca Fresca)
1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Lunazul)
1/2 oz Byrrh Quinquina
1/2 oz Black Tea Honey Syrup (equal parts strong Oolong Tea and Honey)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
5 dash Absinthe (1 bsp Pernod Absinthe)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist, edible flower, and plastic mermaid (omit).
Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the Minimalist Tiki book and spotted the Three Treasures by Jeanie Grant. The drink name most likely refers to the concept of Chinese and Taoist philosophies that the body is made up of three substances or energies, although there are other cultures that have similar three treasures or jewels concepts. In the glass, the Three Treasures proffered a lemon, herbal, and anise bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon, pineapple, and plum notes on the sip morphed into funky cachaça melding into tequila on the swallow along with tannin black tea and minty anise accents.

chip shop punch

750 mL Beefeater Gin (3 oz)
1 cup Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur (1 oz)
1/2 cup Coruba Rum (1/2 oz)
1 cup Lemon Juice (1 oz)
1 cup Simple Syrup (1 oz Lemon Oleo Saccharum Syrup (*))
2 2/3 cup Cold Water (2 1/2 oz)
2 tsp Angostura Bitters (4 dash)

Combine in a large container with an ice block to chill.
(*) Place the peels of 1/2+ lemon, cover with 3/4 oz sugar in a small bowl or Ziplock bag, and mix. Let sit for 60-120 minutes to extract the oil into the sugar (with occasional mixing). Add 3/4 oz hot water, stir to mix, and strain. Makes a little over an ounce.
Two Fridays ago, I delved into Dan Searing's The Punch Bowl and spotted the Chip Shop Punch by Jake Parrott now of Haus Alpenz. This punch was Jake's riff on the classic Philadelphia Fish-House Punch taken in a British direction with gin as the main spirit; overall, the ingredients reminded me of the Barnum Was Right, so I was quite intrigued especially with the Jamaican rum in the mix. Given that it was still quarantine and our party size was two, I scaled this recipe back eight fold. Once prepared, the Chip Shop Punch welcomed the nose with an apricot bouquet that preceded a lemon and orchard fruit sip. Next, gin, a hint of rum funk, apricot, and clove flavors rounded out this softly balanced tipple. Author Dan Searing commented on my Instagram post that the lemon oleo saccharum was a nice modification, and I also think that swapping out the still water for sparkling would do no harm here either as a variation.

bohemia

1 1/2 oz Bols Genever
1 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Krogstad Aquavit
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.
Two Thursdays ago, I delved into Leo Robitschek's The NoMad Cocktail Book for the evening's libation and spotted the Bohemia. That recipe was Leo's creation subtitled, "A rich Martini variation with caraway." While I have known about the elegant pairing of Genever and Maraschino for quite a while such as in the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, I only learned about how well Genever and aquavit pair in that book's Forbidden Dance. Once prepared, the Bohemia danced with a lemon, malt, and caraway aroma to the nose. Next, malt, soft white grape, and cherry notes on the sip slipped into Genever melding into aquavit flavors on the swallow with a nutty cherry and wormwood finish.