cocktail virgin slut

i'm on fire

2026-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Mezcal (Covite)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Honey 1:1 Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Cholula Hot Sauce (Sriracha)

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with ancho chili (cayenne) powder and a pineapple leaf (omit). Two Tuesday ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the I'm on Fire by New York City bartender Sarah Morrissey as her answer to a spicy Margarita that was published in Punch. The Punch article had no date attached, but I was able to find references on the web to as early as 2022 for this possibly Bruce Springsteen-inspired number, and this one joins Sarah's Greyfriar (that was published in Amanda Schuster's New York Cocktails book) on the blog. Since the recipe came across like a Bone Crusher gussied up with honey and pineapple juice, I was ready to give this one a whirl. Here, the I'm on Fire lit up the senses with a chili pepper, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, pineapple, honey, and lime notes on the sip were converted into mezcal, pepper spice, and honey flavors on the swallow.

gentlemen's exchange

2026-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Suze Gentian Liqueur
1/2 oz Averna (*)
1 tsp Coffee Liqueur (Luxardo Espresso) (*)
3 dash Absinthe (24 drop St. George) (*)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
(*) This adaptation was originally created and published with Foro Amaro, cold brew concentrate, and 4 dashes of absinthe. Two Mondays ago, I decided to make the Gentlemen's Exhange by Leo Robitschek at The NoMad Bar in Manhattan circa 2016. I had previously skipped over the recipe in The NoMad Cocktail Book which calls for Foro Amaro and cold brew concentrate which I do not have at home. The version in The Madrusan Cocktail Companion replaces the Foro Amaro and cold brew concentrate for Averna and coffee liqueur which made the drink more accessible. Indeed, Averna and gentian liqueur worked well together in the Southern Gentleman and the Zig Zag Wanderer, so I was ready to give it a go here. In the glass, the Gentlemen's Exchange showcased a grapefruit, rye, and gentian-herbal aroma. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip welcomed in rye, gentian-coffee bitterness, and anise flavors on the swallow.

oumuamua

2026-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Coppali White Rum (Rhum Barbancourt 110° White)
1 oz Sherry (Lustau Amontillado)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Coconut (Coco Lopez)
1/4 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass (ceramic mug), and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and a spritz of absinthe (8 drop St. George).

Two Sundays ago, I decided to make another recipe from The Varnish in Los Angeles to follow the Castaway from two nights prior called the Oumuamua. This one was found in an online recipe flashcard set for their February 2019 menu, and the structure was very similar to their house Piña Colada with a different rum, a base split with sherry, and different garnishes that made me think of a merger with a Sherry Colada. The Educated Barfly attributed this drink to Brian Teterakis at The Varnish in the 2016-17 time frame, and that video called for aged rum and Oloroso; I, however, opted for Barbancourt White, a grassy unaged rum like Coppali, along with Amontillado to align with the flashcard that I had found. The name sounded rather like a Hawaiian fish akin to the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (hence the sea creature mug utilized) until I later discovered that it was dubbed after a few hundred meters long elongated object that passed through our solar system possibly from another star that was discovered in 2017, so that would be put at the latter end of the video's dateline. The name is indeed Hawaiian meaning "a messenger from afar arriving first," and once prepared, the messenger to arrive first was the absinthe's anise and licorice aromas over that of the mint, grassy rum, coconut, and pineapple. Next, a creamy grape and pineapple sip opened up into grassy rum, coconut, and nutty sherry flavors on the swallow with a pineapple and lime finish.

jennie jerome

2026-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Martell Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 tsp Cynar
2 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. Two Saturdays ago, I was in the mood for a stiff nightcap after my last bar shift of the week, and the Jennie Jerome at the NoMad in London called out to me via online recipe flashcards. Jennie, best known for being the mother of Winston Churchill, was raised in the family's mansion in the heart of modern-day NoMad neighborhood in Manhattan, and that tied together well the location of the original NoMad bar and this spot's British location. Some Manhattan Cocktail genesis stories revolved around her at the Manhattan Club, so I am surprised that this is not more of a direct riff on that instead of what appears like a Corpse Reviver #1 crossed with a Grand Street. Once prepared, the Jennie Jerome greeted the senses with a brandy and nutty cherry bouquet. Next, a grape and cherry sip revealed Cognac, apple, herbal, and bitter cherry flavors on the swallow.

castaway

2026-10-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Bounty Aged Rum (3/4 oz Hamilton's Demerara River 86° + 3/4 oz Coruba)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Amaretto (Luxardo)
1/2 oz Coconut (Coco Lopez)
1/4 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Collins (double old fashioned) glass, and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with Angostura Bitters (3-4 dash), a cherry, and a "fucked up umbrella". Two Fridays ago, I was looking for uses of my opened can of coconut cream, when I happened upon the Castaway at The Varnish in Los Angeles from their December 2018 menu through online recipe flashcards. The structure was very similar to their house Piña Colada with the addition of amaretto in place of some of the rum and the wind-swept inversion of their classic's paper umbrella. Amaretto has appeared in two tropical drinks on the blog, namely the 1937 Caribbean Punch and Kanaloa's more modern Ka Lima Lima Hema, so I was intrigued to try it here with the coconut. In the glass, the Castaway stranded the nose with clove aromas from the bitters garnish. Next, a creamy pineapple sip drifted over to rum, almond, coconut, and apricot flavors on the swallow.

howl on the hill

2026-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (12 Year)
1/2 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Planteray Panama 1997)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe (12 drop Kübler)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. After receiving a half-full sample bottle of El Dorado 12 Year at the end of the grand tasting at Boston Rum Week 2026, I decided two Thursdays ago to delve into the Death & Co.'s books for drinks that I previously skipped over. The one I selected first was Howl on the Hill by Jessica Gonzalez in 2009 at the original Manhattan branch that I found in the Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails book. The drink read like a dark rum Hanky Panky or Stingray, and Fernet and Yellow Chartreuse have worked well together in recipes like the Corpse Reviver #4 and Good Things Come. Jessica described how any drink with Fernet needs a reference to San Francisco which is perhaps why the "hill" part of the name came about; the "howl" aspect made me think of Allen Ginsberg's poem, and he wrote that during his San Francisco days in the 1950s. In the glass, the Howl on the Hill enchanted the senses with a caramel, grape, and menthol aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes continued on into the sip where they were joined by dark rum, minty, menthol, and anise flavors on the swallow.

fortress of solid dudes

2026-10-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Giffard Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Coconut Cream (Coco Lopez)
1/4 oz Rich Simple Syrup (1/4+ oz 1:1)
4 dash Peychaud's Bitters
4 dash Absinthe (32 drop St. George)
1 drop Orange Flower Water

Whip shake, pour into a Highball glass (ceramic mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a lime wedge, cherry, and pineapple leaf (mint sprigs only). Two Wednesdays prior, I searched my computer for recipes that called for Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur, and it pulled up the Fortress of Solid Dudes by Chris Elford at Navy Strength in Seattle from the 2020 Community Cocktails book. This pun on the Superman fortress of solitude was described on the menu as, "Apricot, coconut, and green chile just met at a house party and bonded over their love for everything from comics to Campari. Life is weird!" I was able to find photos of the drink on Yelp in 2018 served in a label-less tin can and garnished with mint and on their Instagram earlier this year in a Pearl Diver glass with mint. On paper, it reminded me of the Tradewinds as well as my Campari-laden riff the Sidewinds; moreover, the Ancho Reyes for spirit swap was something that I experienced in the Chili Southside. Once garnished, the Fortress of Solid Dudes gave forth a mint over green chili and coconut aroma. Next, a creamy lemon sip with hints of orchard fruit flowed into chili pepper, coconut, and bitter orange-red fruit flavors on the swallow with an anise finish.

oaxaca negroni

2026-10-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Xicaru 102° Mezcal (1 1/4 oz Convite 80°)
1 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Aperol
1/4 oz Agave Syrup (omit)
4 drop Bittermens Mole Bitters (1 dash)

The recipe lacked instructions, so I stirred with ice, strained into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I uncovered the Oaxaca Negroni from Alma Cocina in Atlanta circa early 2020 through online recipe flashcards. Aperol and Cynar appear in the Negroni that Wasn't, Juan Bautista, Scottish Play, and other drinks, so having it with mezcal, vermouth, and mole bitters sounded intriguing. Once prepared, the Oaxaca Negroni showcased a grapefruit, smoke, and vegetal aroma. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip opened up into smoky agave, vegetal, plum, orange, and clove flavors on the swallow.

the mixologist

2026-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Aged Dark Rum (Hamilton Demerara River 86°)
1 oz Amaro Averna
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Mondays prior, I grasped my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion from the book shelf and found The Mixologist by Elijah Harriss at The Everleigh in Melbourne circa 2024. The concept came across like a split base Black Manhattan with dark rum and mezcal instead of Bourbon. One of my Instagram followers asked what would be in The Bartender, and I replied, "Serve this pre-chilled from the freezer into a shotglass next to a Miller High Life?" Once prepared, The Mixologist crafted an orange and caramel aroma. Next, a caramel-driven sip opened up into woody rum and vegetal caramel-herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoky and clove finish.

trap door

2026-10-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
3/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
3/4 oz Campari

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Sundays ago, I fired up The Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app and came across the Trap Door by Zack-Gelnaw-Rubin at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2025. Since it was the last night of Negroni Week 2026, it seemed perfect. Furthermore, I have not had an Irish whiskey Boulevardier before; indeed, Irish whiskey has been rarely paired with Campari save for a few drinks like the Psycho Killer and Broadway Junction. In the glass, the Trap Door opened up with lemon and orange aromas. Next, white wine, malt, and tangerine notes on the sip descended into soft whiskey and bitter tangerine flavors on the swallow.

among the ferns

2026-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Sweet Gwendolin Gin (Tanqueray)
1 oz Cinzano Bianco Vermouth (Servito)
1/2 oz Aveze Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Convite)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a ships leaf (omit). Ships leaf is an alternative name for shiso. Another drink that I had picked out when I was sent a promotional bottle of Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur was the Among the Ferns from Point Seven in New York City that I uncovered through online recipe flashcards. This riff on a White Negroni was mentioned in September 2023 in two web-based reviews of the new bar program. The closest drink that I have tasted was the split gin-mezcal White Mezcal Negroni from Gracias Madre in Los Angeles that lacked the chili pepper aspect. The name though makes me think of the comedy talkshow Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, but web searches align more with a variety of nature or gardening podcasts and groups. Once mixed, the Among the Ferns gave forth a pine, spicy green pepper, and gentian herbal aroma. Next, white grape and green vegetal notes on the sip unfurled into gin, smoky vegetal, earthy bitter, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

pastiche martini

2026-10-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Gin (Fords)
1/3 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/3 oz Green Chartreuse
1/3 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Fridays ago, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion and decided upon the Pastiche Martini by Jason Williams in 2019. Given the Australian book authors, the drink creator in question was probably the Jason Williams who won Australian Bartender of the Year in 2010 and now runs the beverage programs for a restaurant group in Sydney after returning from an eight year gig in Singapore. As I mentioned in the Liquid Swords a month ago, Green Chartreuse and curaçao always make me think of the Knight from David Embury's book but here with gin and dry vermouth instead of brandy and lemon juice. Moreover, the concept reminded me of the Oxford Comma with Maraschino and celery bitters instead of curaçao. In the glass, the Pastiche Martini issued an orange, pine, and herbaceous aroma. Next, white wine and grape notes on the sip developed into pine, herbaceous, and orange flavors on the swallow.

fits the bill

2026-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Evan Williams Bourbon (Bonded)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice (*)
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
6 dash Nocino (1/4 oz Russo)
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens Mole)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) Perhaps lower this to 1/2 oz lemon juice or add a 1/4 oz simple syrup to the mix. Two Thursdays prior, I was skimming through the online recipe flashcards for Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco when I opted for the Fits the Bill from a 2017 collection. A Yelp menu photo in Spring 2025 attributed it to alumni Darren Crawford with the description, "Sometimes you need a drink that is straight to the point. The balance of Bourbon and baking spices are a perfect fit.", and the drink was mentioned as early as 2014 in Yelp reviews. Ginger syrup and walnut liqueur have been paired here twice before, namely in the Pajazo Mental and the Tell Me More, so I was curious to try it here. Once shaken and strained, the Fits the Bill gave forth an orange, Bourbon, and ginger bouquet to the nose. Next, a lemon-driven sip connected with Bourbon, ginger, and walnut flavors on the swallow with a chocolate finish. The only change I would make would be to reduce the lemon juice by a 1/4 oz or add a 1/4 oz of simple syrup to take the edge off of the drink.

mcmillian

2026-10-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Lemon Juice (1/2 oz)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
4 leaf Mint

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a mint leaf. Two Wednesdays ago, I was chatting on the phone with Geoffrey Wilson who I met at the USBG 2025 meeting in Atlanta and later that year at Portland Cocktail Week, and he mentioned that his recipes appeared in two of Gary Regan's books. That night, I landed on the McMillian that he created at Loa in New Orleans in honor of his mentor, and it appeared in Gaz's 101 Best New Cocktails 2013 book alongside my Milord Gower. The book explained, "Made on Chris McMillian's birthday using all ingredients that he has used in his cocktails." Chris is a legendary Crescent City bartender who has been captured here in the End of the Road drink. Overall, the McMillian cocktail was very similar on paper to a Rye Tai (the closest one on here being a split base with Bourbon in the Bluegrass Mai Tai) with a touch of Benedictine, Angostura, and mint. Once prepared, the McMillian proffered mint, rye, and almond aromas. Next, a creamy lemon and orange sip transformed into rye, nutty, orange, herbal, and clove flavors on the swallow.

el borracho

2026-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Scotch (1 1/2 oz Famous Grouse + 1/8 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with two dash Angostura Bitters. Two Tuesdays ago, I was looking through my list of drinks that I had collected via online recipe flashcards when the El Borracho from the 2017 menu at Dutch Kills called out to me. The name translates to "the drunkard," and it was the title of one of my favorite lotería cards that I never gave out as garnish (we used the small cards on our Nitro Espresso Martini at the C-Side Bar even after the recipe veered away from a Mexican theme). The drink was their adaptation of The Frozen Scotch El Borracho at the El Borracho in New York City via Ted Saucier's 1951 Bottoms Up Book. The original recipe was as follows:

The Frozen Scotch El Borracho
• 1 jigger Scotch
• Juice 1/2 Lemon
• 1 thin slice Pineapple
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 dash Cointreau
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
Use an electric mixer with shaved ice, pour into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with a thin slice of pineapple.

Once prepared, El Borracho overshared a pineapple and clove aroma. Next, a lemon, pineapple, and orange sip caroused with Scotch, peat smoke, and orange-pineapple flavors on the swallow that later gained a clove finish.

hammock panic

2026-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur
1/3 oz Giffard Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
2 drop Saline (1:4)

Shake with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with 3 drop chili oil (cayenne powder). Recently, a PR person reached out to see if I would include Espolon Tequila and Ancho Reyes in a seasonal roundup article, and I replied that while my blog does not do roundups, I would not mind a bottle of Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur to make drinks and later posts with especially given how much I enjoy the original marque. Two Tuesdays ago, I was able to retrieve my bottle from the local UPS location, and I looked to my list of recipes for one that call for that liqueur. The one that spoke out the most was the Hammock Panic at Bar Marilou in New Orleans from their Spring 2021 menu. I had uncovered that spec through online recipe flashcards, and the bar put up a photo of the drink on their Facebook along with the list of ingredients in September 2021. The name reminded me of the Banana Hammock but that took things more in a Mai Tai direction. Once assembled, the Hammock Panic shocked the senses with vegetal and chili pepper aromas. Next, lime and honey notes on the sip led into tequila, banana, vanilla, and green pepper flavors on the swallow.

earthy delights

2026-10-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Planteray 5 Year Barbados Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat (*)
1/4 oz Cynar (*)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.
(*) If I were to remake this, I would drop the orgeat to 1/2 oz and up the Cynar to 1/2 oz. Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a drink that I spotted on a friend's Instagram post called the Earthly Delights created by cocktail enthusiast Todd Brant from Pasadena and entered into the Kindred Cocktails database. On paper, it reminded me a little of the Turnbuckle that I featured in my "Minimalist Amaro Tiki" seminar the Monday before albeit with different proportions, a different tropical note (pineapple versus passion fruit), and a few other details. Once prepared, the Earthly Delights donated an almond, rum funk, and cherry aroma to the nose. Next, a creamy lime and pineapple sip blossomed into funky rum, nutty, herbal, and allspice flavors on the swallow. The only change I would make would be cutting the orgeat by 1/4 oz (both to reduce the sweetness to match the lime juice and the orgeat's dominance), and perhaps upping the Cynar by a 1/4 oz to make it a perfect 4 oz build again and increase the quotient of bitter funk.

the shore leave

2026-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Privateer New England Reserve White Rum
1 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Rum
1/2 oz Blandy's Rainwater Madeira
1/2 oz Molasses Syrup (1:1)
4 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in a tin, add crushed ice, spindle blend for 5-10 seconds, pour into a tall glass (originally a Shore Leave-branded coconut mug), top with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs and a dehydrated lime wheel. Sometime after the grand tasting event in South Boston for Boston Rum Week where I participated in the panel on "Funky Rums in Cocktails", I ended up at Shore Leave in the South End where many of the attendees and presenters also were gathering. For a drink, I asked for the namesake The Shore Leave, and the menu was subtitled, "Our signature marriage of New England and tropical flavors." Sadly, Shore Leave will set sail at the end of the year due to landlord issues. The recipe was adapted from one found on the FoodLens site where it described how it incorporated three very New England ingredients with a nod to Boston's history: rum, Madeira, and molasses. The trio of passion fruit, rum, and Madeira was a combination that I utilized in the Three Girl Rhumba here with different rums and with molasses and bitters instead of honey. Once prepared, The Shore Leave hit the nose with a mint aroma. Next, molasses and lime notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow ventured on with rum, passion fruit, dried fruit, clove and allspice flavors on the swallow.

my european girlfriend

2026-10-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Park VS Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with a cherry. Two Fridays ago, I returned to the 2020 Community Cocktails book that was put out to support Seattle's bartenders during the Pandemic, and I spotted the My European Girlfriend by Ryan Dorn at The Purple Café. The French Cider & Spirits website has the recipe with one of their Cognacs and my choice of Cocchi Americano instead of Lillet (despite Lillet being French), and they attributed it in early 2019 to Ryan when he was at Monsoon in Seattle. Overall, the recipe read somewhere between a Cognac Liberal given the vermouth and Picon-like aspect and a Hoots Mon with the vermouth-Lillet duo. Once mixed, the My European Girlfriend prompted the senses with a cherry, grape, and herbal aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip traveled over to brandy, bitter herbal, orange, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

trader roxy

2026-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Rhum Clement Blanc Agricole (Baie des Tresors Plein Soleil)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice (3/4 oz)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
2 dash Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a vessel, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with Angostura and orange (Angostura Orange) bitters and an orange-cherry flag (cherry only). With the remainder of the new bottle of rhum agricole in hand that I had bought for my "Minimalist Amaro Tiki" talk at Boston Rum Week 2026 a few days prior to make the Tomb of the Caribs as the welcome cocktail, I began to look for a use to try it out at home. The drink I selected was the Trader Roxy from Roxanne's in Long Beach, California, circa 2015 that I had found in a collection of online recipe flashcards. The recipe had the orgeat-Maraschino combination that has worked in classic tropical drinks before like the Gold Cup and Marlin, and it had that duo with pineapple and funky rum found in Kelly Merrell's more modern Spirited Spectre. In the ceramic mug, the Trader Roxy showcased a cherry, clove, and allspice bouquet to the nose. Next, a creamy lime and pineapple sip sailed into funky and grassy rum, nutty, cherry, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

breakfast mai tai

2026-09-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Giffard Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a double old fashioned glass, add crushed ice, and float 3/4 oz Hamilton Black Rum (Coruba). Top with crushed ice and garnish with mint sprigs, edible flowers (omit), and a smoldering cinnamon stick. Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to look up the Breakfast Mai Tai Chloe Frechette's Easy Tiki book after seeing it on Instagram a few times recently. The drink was created by Fanny Chu at Donna in Brooklyn, and the name makes me think that it ought to have orange marmalade akin to Salvatore Calabrese's Breakfast Martini, but it takes things in a banana instead of orange direction. Fanny explained, "I definitely would drink this for breakfast when vacationing somewhere tropical, or even on a day off, daydreaming of being in the tropics." The recipe itself was akin to the Te Anuanua that has passion fruit instead of cinnamon syrup and the Banana Hammock with a different rum and no cinnamon syrup. Once mixed, the Breakfast Mai Tai served up cinnamon, smoke, mint, and rum funk aromas. Next, a creamy lime and caramel sip ascended into funky rum, nutty, and cooked banana flavors on the swallow with a cinnamon finish.

vecchietto

2026-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
3/4 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
3/4 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
3 dash Cardamom Bitters (Bitter Housewife)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I selected my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion off the book shelf and landed on the amaro-sherry Vecchietto in the Old Fashioned Section. The drink was created by Paul Hammond and Priscilla Leong now of the Flowing Bowl Cocktail Company in Melbourne, and vecchietto is an Italian word that translates to "little old man" or "frail old man" which is perfect for such a low proof Italian-themed drink. Cynar and Ramazzotti have been paired before in the Detroit Rock City, so I decided to give this one a try. In the glass, the Vecchietto hobbled to the nose with a lemon, nutty sherry, caramel, and herbal aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip led into funky herbal, nutty sherry, and root beer flavors on the swallow with a cardamom finish.

trainspotter

2026-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

3/4 oz Scotch (1/2 oz Famous Grouse + 1/4 Ardbeg 10 Year)
3/4 oz Amaro Braulio
3/4 oz Giffard Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Mondays ago, I began perusing the Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app where I landed on the Trainspotter by Mikey Reihill at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2024. This is a different Trainspotter than the one I had at Amor y Amargo or the one I made from the Continental Room, but all three perhaps tributes to the 1996 movie Trainspotting have a common thread of amaro. That amaro here is Braulio, and it and banana liqueur have worked well together in the Stellina, so I was curious to try this. Once prepared, the Trainspotter gave forth a caramel, peat smoke, and pine bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip formed into smoky Scotch, banana, herbal, and pine flavors on the swallow.

brave men run

2026-09-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Cutty Sark Prohibition Scotch (1 3/4 oz Famous Grouse + 1/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot
1/4 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
2 dash Walnut Bitters (4 dash Strongwater)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a drink called the Brave Men Run that I spotted on Reddit's cocktail forum. The recipe created at Hanson's Shoe Repair in Orlando was perhaps named after a Sonic Youth song, a German noise pop duo, or a painting by Ed Ruscha, and Yelp menu photos from January 2025 to March 2026 display this cocktail. The trio of Cardamaro, apricot, and Amontillado appear in my Listening Room that was based off of the Father's Advice, and Cardamaro and apricot without the sherry occur in the Rube Goldberg Variation #3. With that, I set to mixing, and the result offered up a lemon, apricot, and peat smoke aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip transformed into smoky Scotch, apricot, herbal, and nutty flavors on the swallow.

act of pardon

2026-09-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Pot Still Jamaican Dark Rum (Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Lustau)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice. Two Saturdays ago, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and spied the Act of Pardon by Andrew Cordero at The Reading Club in San Diego circa 2022. Overall, it reminded me of other Bourbon (with or without a split base) Old Fashioneds with Pedro Ximenez sherry as the sole sweetener like the Second Marriage and the McKittrick Old Fashioned, so I was curious to try it with a Jamaican rum in the mix. Once prepared, the Act of Pardon offered up raisin, caramel, and rum funk aromas to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip released Bourbon, funky rum, dried fruit, and pineapple flavors on the swallow.