Thanks Elote

• 1.5 oz. mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
• 0.75 oz. Cardamaro
• 0.75 oz. Nixta
• 2 dashes Miracle Mile chocolate chili bitters

Stir with ice and strain into glass. If you’re feeling extra, serve alongside elote.

I built this around the Nixta liqueur which features corn. I suppose I could have reached for a corn whiskey, but wanted to keep this more traditionally south of the border, so out came the mezcal for some smokiness. For some brightness I added the Cardamaro, which has literally nothing to do with elote, but really worked well and tasted great. The chocolate chili bitters added some heat and bitterness, and brought it all together.

Where would cocktail naming be without puns? I don’t know. I could say something about being corny, but even I have my limits.

Devil Rock

• 1.5 oz. bourbon
• 1.0 oz. sweet vermouth
• 0.5 oz. Green Chartreuse
• dash of orange bitters
• dash of mole bitters

Stir with ice and strain into glass.

I was asked recently what my current go-to drink was, and it undoubtedly was this. I sheepishly said it was one of my own, and I was asked how long it took me to perfect it. I had to answer honestly that I mostly copied some classics, so not long at all.

Here is my bourbon Bijou variant. I always make my Bijou as 3:2:1, which I guess is my own take, and I did the same here as I swapped in bourbon for the gin. In addition, I added mole bitters to the orange, which I always enjoy with bourbon, and I’ve had success in the past adding chocolate to the Chartreuse.

The name is a common variant for the red agate, the state gem of Kentucky, and matched the drinks hue. It’s all in the details.

I Found This Cool Dragon

• 1.0 oz. Planteray coconut rum
• 1.0 oz. Plantation Jaymaica
• 0.5 oz. Ramazatti
• 0.5 oz. crème de cacao (Tempus Fugit)
• dash of Vena’s Island bitters (charred pineapple)

Stir with ice and strain into glass.

This was my first attempt at playing with Planteray’s (formerly Plantation) coconut rum, which has a strong, ripe coconut flavor at full non-liqueur proof. I paired this with their Jamaican rum (old branding), chocolate, and some bitter Ramazatti and pineapple bitters.

The name. Ok, I had nothing. But I’d recently acquired this cool dragon trinket while hunting for Christmas presents for my kids. I wanted to use it in a picture. So I did, and I like it. It’s a cool dragon, and a good drink.

No Brainer

• 1.5 oz. Scarlet Ibis rum
• 0.5 oz. crème de cacao
• 0.5 oz. Kina L’Aero d’Or
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.25 oz. crème de banane
• dash of Angostura bitters

Shake with ice and strain into glass.

Rum with banana and chocolate. No brainer. That’s it.

Broken Umbreller

• 1.0 oz. French gin (Citadelle)
• 0.5 oz. dry vermouth
• 0 5 oz. apricot liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
• 0.25 oz. Aperol
• barspoon of absinthe
• dash of orange bitters

Stir with ice and strain into coupe. Top with 1.0 oz. of champagne.

It tasted good, as I experimented. That’s about it. I started with a French gin, in honor of Janet Van De Graaff’s bad French accent in Drowsy Chaperone, where she also sings about the broken umbrella, or umbreller.

I made this for a Drowsy Chaperone cast party. No umbrellas were harmed in the construction of this drink.

Comuni

• 2.0 oz. Italian gin
• 1.0 oz. dry vermouth (preferably Italian)
• 0.5 oz. amaro (Meletti, though here I used and photographed an amaro I bought in Florence at the oldest western pharmacy)
• barspoon maraschino liqueur

Stir with ice and strain into glass.

I wanted a nice balanced gin cocktail somewhat like a negroni. I chose to stick with Italian ingredients, and opted for dry instead of sweet vermouth — I believe it was Carpano. I started with Meletti, but I did try the amaro liqueur I picked up from Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence a couple of years ago. The maraschino just adds a touch of brightness.

I named it for the city states in pre-unified Italy. No other reason beyond I liked the simple name for a simple, delicious drink.

Earl Grey Street

• 1.0 oz. Scottish gin (Edinburugh)
• 1.0 oz. Edinburgh Lemon & Jasmine gin
• 0.5 oz. bergamot liqueur (Otto)
• 0 5 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 0.25 oz. ginger liqueur (Giffard)
• 0.25 oz. lemon juice
• 2 dashes 1821 Earl Grey bitters
• 1 dash lavender bitters (Greenbar)

Stir with ice and strain into glass.

Bergamot was the theme here, after picking up the Otto liqueur. As that is a main component in Earl Grey tea I went full throttle in that direction. Everything else here was in support of that.

The name is of a street in Edinburgh. It’s as simple as that. Scottish gin, earl grey bitters, bergamot. Sometimes it’s not rocket science. Just good flavor mixing.

Manila Galleon

• 1.0 oz. Probitas rum
• 0.5 oz. Plantation Dark rum
• 0.5 oz. absinthe
• 0.5 oz. mango liqueur
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.25 oz. pimento dram
• 0.25 oz. vanilla liqueur
• 0.25 oz. cinnamon syrup
• dash of Angostura bitters
• dash of El Guapo Polynesian Kiss bitters

Shake with ice and pour into glass. Alternatively, pour over crushed ice into Collins or tiki glass.

I formed this tropical drink around the mango liqueur (I used Chinola), starting with the rums, adding some sweetened warming spices, lemon for pop and then an herbal and anise hit from the absinthe. It’s strong, so you can lengthen it with ice, but I always like mine up.

Did you know that the mango is the national fruit of the Philippines? I didn’t either, till I was researching for a name. The Manila galleon (and yes, Manila and vanilla were definitely a consideration here too) were Spanish ships that ran a trade route from the Philippines to Mexico, and seemed to fit for the drink. I love the rhythm of the name as well. Fun to drink, fun to say!

Lip Service

• 1.5 oz. gin style of your choice
• 0.75 oz. Genepy Le Chamois
• 0.5 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 0.25 oz. passion fruit liqueur (Chinola)
• 0.25 oz. lemon juice
• dash of Miracle Mile Chocolate Chili bitters

Shake with ice and strain into glass.

I was playing with passion fruit and Genepy for this one. Gin seemed right, and I did play with either a London Dry or a contemporary — all worked fairly well. It did need the tartness from the lemon and the bitter herbaceousness of Lillet to round things out. I do like the chocolate and passion fruit flavor combo, with a bit of chili heat, so added the bitters.

I believe the name started with something to do with “kiss” for the “passion” and kiss of chocolate and heat, but after taking the picture with this neat, vintage lipstick holder, I pivoted on the name.

And, really, often these names are, literally, just lip service. We’re just here for the drink.

Crescendo

• 1.5 oz. Hayman’s Exotic Citrus gin
• 0.5 oz. Junipero Smoked Rosemary gin
• 0.5 oz. St. George Aqua Perfecta basil liqueur
• 0.5 oz. Cocchi Americano
• 0.25 oz. limoncello
• dash of Crude “Rizzo” bitters
• 6 drops of lactart

Stir with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with toasted rosemary.

Although it appears secondary, this began as me exploring the Junipero rosemary offering, which I really like, but found overpowering if I stuck to that as a base. Thus I reached for the Hayman’s for a bright citrus base, enhanced by the Junipero. Lemon, basil, some sweet and bitter herbaceousness from the Cocchi — all added nicely to the drink. “Rizzo” features notes of rosemary, grapefruit and peppercorn, which paired well. I felt it lacked some acid, but didn’t want the more dominating presence of a lemon or lime, so dropped in some lactart. And there it was.

The name is a musical theater deep cut. There’s a character in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying named Rosemary. The song sung about her features the line:

Just imagine if we kissed.
What a crescendo not to be missed!

So don’t miss it.