cocktail virgin slut

unsinkable

2026-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Jamaican Rum (Coruba)
1/2 oz St. George Bruto Americano
1/2 oz Giffard Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Mondays prior, I opened up the Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app and was drawn in by the Unsinkable. It was crafted by Brandon Bramhall at Nashville's Attaboy in 2021 as a Banana Kingston Negroni of sorts akin to the Banana Boulevardier. Once mixed, the Unsinkable floated to the nose with an orange, cinnamon, caramel, rum funk, and pine tree aroma. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip were salvaged by funky rum, pine, bitter orange, and banana flavors on the swallow.

reanimator

2026-11-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 oz Aged Jamaican Rum like Planteray Xaymayca (1 oz Appleton 8 Year + 1/2 oz Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Planteray OFTD Rum
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Zombie Mix (*)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Zombie glass (ceramic mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint sprig (3 sprigs).
(*) Equal parts Grenadine, Falernum (Velvet), Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand), and Absinthe (Kübler). I used 1/2 tsp each, which came out to 1/3 oz total instead of 1/4 oz. Two Sundays ago, I found the Reanimator by "Tiki Commando" Jason Alexander in the Minimalist Tiki book, and it appeared like a Hurricane crossed with aspects of the 1934 Zombie. There are a few Zombie riffs like the Sunakora Zombie that take things in this passion fruit route; however, since Jason has a great track record with drinks, I needed to sample his take on things. Once assembled, the Reanimator gave forth a mint aroma over funky rum and anise elements. Next, lemon with a tart tropical fruit note on the sip flowed into funky rum, passion fruit, and anise flavors on the swallow.

momose manhattan

2026-11-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Pineau des Charentes (Guerin)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Saturdays ago, I was perusing The Madrusan Cocktail Companion when I was lured in by the Momosé Manhattan from Julia Momosé in 2021 that she published in her The Way of the Cocktail book. Rye, amaro, and Pineau des Charentes is a motif that worked well in the Cooper with Averna, so I was curious to see the effect with Braulio and sweet vermouth. Moreover, I later spotted a recipe for the Charentes Manhattan on Reddit that was rye, a split of sweet vermouth and Pineau des Charentes, and Angostura Bitters, so the Braulio inclusion definitely seemed like it could work in place of the bitters. In the glass, the Momosé Manhattan gave forth a lemon, apricot, and grape bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and melon notes on the sip opened up into rye, bitter herbal, pine, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

venus's point

2026-11-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 oz Pineau des Charentes White (Guerin)
1/2 oz Rhum Agricole (JM 100° Blanc)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon wheel (twist). Two Fridays ago, I started searching the web for Pineau des Charentes recipes when I landed upon the Venus's Point by Ivy Mix at Leyenda that she posted on her Instagram. It is her lower proof Saturn riff "using passion fruit and orgeat to bring out the tangy and nutty notes of Pineau." In the glass, the Venus's Point orbited the nose with a lemon, passion fruit, and apricot aroma. Next, a creamy lemon and tropical sip was eclipsed by apricot, passion fruit, grassy funk, and nutty flavors on the swallow. Overall, the effect besides being a bit lower in ABV was to shift the balance to something more fruity and grassy instead of botanical and spiced given the omission of the gin and falernum from the late 1960s classic.

naked in the rain

2026-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

3/4 oz Mezcal (Convite)
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Thursdays ago, I looked to The Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app for a recipe and became stuck on the Naked in the Rain by Zack Gelnaw-Rubin at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2022 as perhaps a more affordable riff on the Naked & Famous. Overall, it was akin to the Shaddock with mezcal and lime instead of Genever and lemon; moreover, the spirit, Aperol, elderflower, citrus combination is one that I first learned about through Paul Clarke's Dunniette. Once shaken and strained, the Naked in the Rain precipitated a vegetal, orange, floral, and smoke aroma. Next, lime and orange notes on the sip splashed into smoky mezcal, orange, grapefruit, and floral flavors on the swallow.

driftwood ember

2026-11-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 oz Mezcal (Convite)
1 oz Coco-Washed Wray & Nephew Rum (Regular Wray) (*)
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat --> Servito Blanc) (*)
1/4 oz Giffard Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Verde Liqueur
(2 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a pandan leaf (omit).
(*) The first time I made it, I did it according to the recipe flashcard which mentioned only Wray & Nephew Rum. I then spotted that the Yelp menu photo which listed what I thought said cacao Wray, so I added in 2 dash of chocolate bitter and swapped the dry vermouth for blanc to give it a little more roundness. The menu actually said "coco-washed" which is probably coconut oil fat washed, not chocolate, which makes sense with the pandan garnish with the beach-inspired name. Perhaps a mix of Wray & Nephew and coconut rum would work without fat washing a whole batch. Two Wednesdays ago, I returned home from a canasta industry night sponsored by Drambuie and wanted an easy to make drink to round out the evening. I decided to return to my stockpile of Ancho Reyes Verde recipes and selected the Driftwood Ember at Pink Rabbit in Portland, Oregon, via online recipe flashcards. There, the rum was specified as Wray & Nephew which lured me in. After making it, I was able to find the drink in a January 2023 Yelp menu photo which listed the rum as "Coco-washed Wray" that the flashcards did not mention. At first, I mis-interpreted it as cacao nib-infused and added chocolate bitters when I remade this the next evening which rounded out the drink; however, the menu was really suggesting fat washing with melted coconut oil as I have done at a previous bar job (this time, I did not have Rusty Nails to blame though). As a general rule, I do not fat wash anything at home for single drinks, so perhaps adding in a coconut rum or liqueur (of which I have neither here) could get the flavor closer in a pinch. So with that said, take this recipe and post for what it is worth with all these concerns in mind. When prepared with the blanc vermouth (for roundness and body) and chocolate bitters on the second pass, the Driftwood Ember smoldered to the nose with a smoke, vegetal, rum funk, and chocolate bouquet. Next, white wine, apricot, and roast notes on the sip opened up into funky rum, spicy pepper, chocolate, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

the diary of horace wimp

2026-11-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (3/4 oz Old Overholt 86° + 3/4 oz Rittenhouse Bonded)
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
1/4 oz Peated Scotch (Ardbeg 10 Year)
2 dash Walnut Bitters (Strongwater)

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Tuesdays ago, I was lured in by a drink created and posted by Philadelphia cocktail enthusiast Alan Grove as part of his Mixtape Monday series on Instagram called The Diary of Horace Wimp. This tribute to the 1979 song by the Electric Light Orchestra utilized the pairing of Amaro Montenegro and coffee liqueur which have appeared in drinks like the Poderoso and Backbar's Black Magic, so I was curious to try it here as a Black Manhattan-Revolver mashup of sorts. In the glass, The Diary of Horace Wimp showcased a coffee roast and peat smoke aroma. Next, roast and nectarine notes on the sip became hitched to rye, coffee roast and bitterness, tangerine, and peat smoke flavors on the swallow.

rockabilly

2026-11-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 oz Domaine du Manoir de Montreuil Calvados (Morin Selection)
1 oz Navarre Pineau des Charentes (Guerin)
1/2 oz Rhum JM VSOP (Clement)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Mondays ago, I sought out more uses for my new bottle of Pineau des Charentes, so I looked to the Death & Co.: Welcome Home book and found the Rockabilly. The drink was created by Adam Griggs in 2019 as a riff on the classic Pompadour – a recipe from Frank Meier's 1934 The Artistry Of Mixing Drinks which pairs the fortified wine with an aged rhum agricole and lemon juice. I made the Pompadour back in 2011 when I last purchased a bottle of Pineau des Charentes, and here, the concept was taken in an apple direction. Once mixed, the Rockabilly gave forth an apple, floral, and nectarine aroma. Next, lemon notes on the sip danced their way into apple, funky rum, melon, and fresh apricot flavors on the swallow.

mugshot shawty

2026-11-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Strega

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice. No garnish needed — just let the liqueurs' aromatic spices and botanicals shine through. Two Sundays ago, I became inspired by the previous night's Burning Times of gin, Strega, Fernet, and bitters and wanted to tinker. Since Campari and Strega paired together rather well such as in the Rachel Wall and the Count's Swizzle, I turned this into a Ferrari (Fernet-Campari) adventure. For a spirit, I considered apple brandy, American whiskey, gin, or a split base, and I opted for Bourbon for it offered a rich and relatively smooth canvas to paint these bold liqueur flavors onto. The Italian trio of liqueurs made me think of organized crime which got me thinking of mugshots that led me to the phenomenon of attractive arrest photos, so I dubbed this one the Mugshot Shawty. Once assembled, the drink showcased caramel, fennel, and minty pine aromas. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip expanded into Bourbon, gentian, minty-menthol, orange, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

burning times

2026-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Plymouth Gin (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Strega
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dash Boker's bitters (2 dash Bitter Housewife Cardamon + 1 dash Scrappy's Aromatic)

Stir with ice, strain into a glass (coupe), and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Saturdays ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the Burning Times created by Chris Amirault in 2010 and posted in a Strega thread on eGullet. Chris described the name after he crafted the combination as, "Settling on Burning Times Cocktail: Stregheria is Italian for witch, and Plymouth County, Massachusetts, is where Salem is located. And Salem, you know..." Chris cited the Ott's Special from The Café Royal Cocktail Book of gin, Strega, dry vermouth, and orange bitters as inspiration, and I tried and wrote up a similar drink from that time period called the Berkeley Hotel Cocktail that was less gin forward and lacked the orange bitters. Since Strega and Fernet Branca have worked well together in the Stregasaurus and Broken English, I was curious to try them here. In the glass, the Burning Times gave forth a lemon, vanilla, star anise, licorice, and minty aroma. Next, a slightly caramel sip bloomed into pine, minty, menthol, and licorice flavors on the swallow with a honey-vanilla finish.

hotel california

2026-10-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Mount Gay Eclipse Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1 oz Pineau des Charentes (Guerin)
1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Giffard Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Bitter End Moroccan Bitters (1 dash Bitter Housewife Cardamom + 1 dash Bittercube Corazon)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Two Fridays ago, I wanted to utilize my purchase of Pineau des Charentes that was returning to my home bar for the first time in almost a decade, so I searched my Death & Co. book spreadsheets. The recipe that jumped out to me was the Hotel California by Matthew Belanger in 2015 via the Death & Co: Welcome Home book. Pineau des Charentes has worked well with orchard fruit flavors before like pear in the Everything Nice and Mirabelle plum in the Blue Hour, and I was curious to see how the grape must flavors played with apricot. Here, the Hotel California checked in the nose with a cinnamon, tropical rum funk, and orchard fruit bouquet. Next, lime and white grape notes on the sip flowed into funky rum, apricot, honey, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

future tense

2026-10-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Convite)
1/2 oz Nocino (Russo)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)
1 peel Grapefruit (2.5" x 1")

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Two Thursdays prior, I fired up the Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app for drink inspiration, and I landed upon the Future Tense by Chloe Martin at Nashville's Attaboy in 2024. Since walnut liqueur and agave spirits have paired well in the Five Points and Man of La Mancha, I was curious to try it in a Sour format. In the glass, the Future Tense foretold a vegetal, grapefruit, and smoke aroma. Next, a lemon sip sped into smoky mezcal, grapefruit, and walnut flavors on the swallow with a chocolate finish.

doomsayer's punch

2026-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Absinthe (8 drop St. George)

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. I was inspired by the previous night's Doomsayer which was a Japanese whisky-mezcal Old Fashioned with Braulio and cacao, and I decided to riff on it. I took it in the way of a Cognac-Jamaican rum punch structure with a tip of the hat to Jason Alexander's Doomsayer's Grog. I found that lemon juice and a dash of absinthe worked better here than my first thoughts of lime juice and dashes of Angostura Bitters. In the end, the Doomsayer's Punch gave forth a nutmeg aroma over caramel, rum funk, pine resin, and anise. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip opened up into brandy, pine, rum funk, chocolate, pineapple, and anise flavors on the swallow. Perhaps a little Demerara syrup might round this drink out a touch since the original had the same spirit to liqueur ratio without the citrus subtracting from the sweetness.

doomsayer

2026-10-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Japanese Whisky (Toki)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Convite)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I opened up The Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app and was lured in by the Doomsayer by Jon Nutter at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2017. I first experienced Braulio and cacao combined in a drink on the menu while working at Russell House Tavern called the Ibsen's Door and later in the Coperta Da Sci, so I was curious to try it here with Japanese whisky and mezcal. Moreover, the combination of Japanese whisky and mezcal was one that prospered in the Tokyo Conference similarly supported by an amaro and a liqueur. The name made me think of the Doomsayer's Grog, but this one has half the build volume and close to half the alcohol content; that tropical aspect did inspired me to make something with citrus the next night though. In the glass, the Doomsayer proffered orange, chocolate, pine, and smoke aromas to the nose. Next, caramel on the sip foretold whisky, vegetal, chocolate, bitter herbal pine, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

scorched earth

2026-10-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Mondays ago after returning back from our Vermont beer adventure, I turned to The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and selected the Scorched Earth. The recipe was crafted by Nicholas Hearin at Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta circa 2006, and it is a different Scorched Earth than the mezcal one from Ward 8. Overall, it came across like a brandy Little Italy which sounded like a great nightcap build. Moreover, the name reminded me of the similarly three ingredient, spirits-forward, and Cognac-based Burnt Fuselage from the 1927 Barflies and Cocktails book with a more bitter instead of orange-flavored angle. In the glass, the Scorched Earth initiated a lemon, grape, and rich Cognac aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip before opening up into brandy and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

dark intentions

2026-10-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Blanco Tequila (Fosforo)
3/4 oz Chili Liqueur (Ancho Reyes)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/3 oz Vanilla Syrup
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. To make use of the other half of the lime that I juiced for the Headhunter's Curse and to have a recipe to post on Instagram for when Andrea and I were on a beer adventure in Burlington, Vermont, the next night, that Saturday I also made the Dark Intentions. It was created by Steven Roennfeldt of Steve the Bartender fame as spotted when one of my friends made it on their Instagram. Overall, it reminded me of Erick Castro's Ninth Wonder with vanilla added in plus different proportions. In the glass, the Dark Intentions lurked under the nose with a vegetal pepper, earthy chocolate, and vanilla aroma. Next, lime and roast notes on the sip plunged into tequila, spicy pepper, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

the headhunter's curse

2026-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 oz Añejo Tequila (Cimarron Reposado)
3/4 oz Las Vegas Distillery Dark Rum (Coruba)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
1 dash Bittermens Tiki Bitters (Bittercube Trinity)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into an old fashioned glass (ceramic mug), and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with a singed paper umbrella, cherry, and smoldering cinnamon stick. Two Saturdays ago, I was feeling energized after my work shift, so I decided to make a tropical number called The Headhunter's Curse created by home enthusiast Carrie Dushey and posted on her Instagram account. This drink was part of her Halloween month of spooky cocktails, and overall, its banana-ginger combination reminded me of the Without Faculty and Holy Molé! but with a split base of aged tequila and dark rum instead of Bourbon and Scotch, respectively. In the headhunter mug, The Headhunter's Curse tracked down acrid cinnamon smoke over caramel, dried fruit, and ginger aromas. Next, a lime and caramel sip was displaced by vegetal tequila, funky rum, cooked banana, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

hand-me-down

2026-10-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat
1 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Two Fridays prior, I got home from my bar shift and opened up The Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app to find the Hand-Me-Down by Zack Gelnaw-Rubin at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2022. The idea reminded me of a drink that we had on the River Bar menu when I first started working there in March 2018 called the Allston Christmas as an allspice dram and bitters version of a Bee's Knees created by Haley Hamilton. The name refers to the September 1st local holiday (and a day or two before and after) where the student-rich part of Boston experiences a widespread moving day, so piles of free furniture, home goods, and more are left on the curb for folks to take. Given the used nature of those items, it matches the Hand-Me-Down's general theme.

Allston XMAS
• 2 oz Gin
• 3/4 oz Honey Syrup
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz Allspice Dram
• 2 dash Angostura Bitters
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

In the glass, the Hand-Me-Down donated a rye, almond, and allspice aroma to the nose. Next, a creamy lemon sip opened up into rye, nutty, and allspice flavors on the swallow with a chocolate finish.

barracuda

2026-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Convite)
1/4 oz Rhum Agricole (JM Blanc 100°)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned with ice (cracked ice), and garnish with a lime wedge (wheel). Two Thursdays ago, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and landed upon the Barracuda by Alicia Perry and Anthony Schmidt at The Lafayette Hotel & Club in San Diego circa 2023. While there are several Barracudas on the blog including the tropical Galliano one and the two sherry-dark spirit citrus ones, this recipe is unique and closer to the Tia Mia with less rum and a funky one instead of an aged one. Once prepared, the Barracuda swam to the senses with a lime and smoky agave aroma. Next, a creamy lime sip welcomed a smoky agave, grassy vegetal rhum, nutty, and orange flavors on the swallow with vegetal funk finish.

sylbaris

2026-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 1/2 oz Rhum Agricole (Baie des Tresors)
3/4 oz Amaro Averna
1/2 oz Suze Gentian Liqueur
1/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Absinthe (8 drop St. George)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime twist. Two Wednesdays ago, while writing up the Gentlemen's Exchange for the blog, I was inspired to create something new. I took that drink's Averna-Suze duo and added in influences of the falernum from the Bywater and the rhum agricole-Suze combination of the Fort de France and other recipes. I bolstered the effect of the small amount of falernum with lime oils in the garnish (perhaps with my Loyal Nine version of the Georgetown Club in mind) and clove notes from the bitters. For a name, I dubbed this one the Sylbaris after Ludger Sylbaris, a Martinician sailor who surprisingly survived the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée due to the shielding and protection of his thick jail cell walls although not without sustaining burns; he later traveled with the Barnum & Bailey Circus as a celebrity. Once the final iteration was strained and garnished, the Sylbaris offered up lime, grassy, herbal, and anise aromas to the nose. Next, the Averna's caramel came through on the sip that was chased by rhum's grassy funk melding into the gentian earthy herbal of the Suze, and joined by falernum's lime, that liqueur and the bitter's clove, absinthe's anise, and Averna's caramel-herbal flavors on the swallow.

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.