Husky Voice

• 2.0 oz. Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
• 0.5 oz. Nixta
• 0.25 oz. Cardamaro
• dash of Miracle Mile Chocolate Chili bitters

Shake with ice and strain into glass. Garnish or accompany with a bite of chocolate.

Here I just wanted to highlight the combination of mezcal with Nixta, an elote (corn) based liqueur. I found just a bit of Cardamaro brightened it up without detracting from the central corn and agave flavors, and the bitters offer just a hint of a spicy mole.

It took me a second in writing this to remember the reason for the name, but of course it is for the corn husk. A husk in combination with a throat stinging (in a good way) spirit resulted in the Husky Voice. Might lower your octave, but it tastes so good.

Holy Cacao

• 2.0 oz. Cognac
• 0.25 oz. crème de cacao (Tempus Fugit)
• 0.25 oz. chile liqueur (Giffard Piment d’Espelette)
• 0.25 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 0.25 oz. lime juice
• dash of Dale Degroff’s Pimento Aromatic bitters

Shake with ice and strain into coupe.

This drink grew from the chile liqueur I had recently acquired. I’ve combined chile and chocolate in the past with some success so moved in that direction, but this time opted for Cognac over tequila. Acid was necessary from the lime to cut the heat and sweet, and the Chartreuse gives it a nice herbal depth and pairs well with the Cognac. The bitters round it all out.

The name probably doesn’t need much explanation. I never can turn down a bad pun.

Der Schwartzwald

• 2.0 oz German rye
• 0.75 oz. sweet vermouth
• 0.25 oz. Black Forest edel kirsch liqueur
• dash of Kümmel
• dash of kirsch
• dash of Bitter Truth Chocolate bitters

Stir with ice and strain into coupe. Garnish with a cherry.

I found this German rye locally and fell in love with it. I wanted to try it in my favorite drink Remember the Maine and decided to swap in (mostly) German ingredients.

In place of Cherry Heering I poured a Black Forest cherry liqueur, then for absinthe used Kümmel. At that point I wanted to embrace the Black Forest cake profile so added chocolate bitters and another kirsch just enhance the cherry taste.

The name of course is Black Forest in German. Das ist gut.

Here Today, Cardamaro

• 1.5 oz. Akvavit with dill (Stockholms)
• 0 5 oz. Cardamaro
• 0 5 oz. Drambouie
• 0.25 oz. Kümmel
• 0.25 oz. lime juice
• Dash of rosemary tincture

Shake with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with a dried lemon.

Here is one that is absolutely just a combination of of flavors that worked for me without a plan behind them.

The name came from a communal evening where names were offered and votes were cast. I cannot tell you who conceived this perfect title (it wasn’t me), but there was no contest in the end.

Rosé-tinted Glasses

• 2.0 oz. Rosé gin (Wire Works)
• 0.5 oz. Pomegranate and Rose liqueur (Dr. Brambles)
• 0.5 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 0.25 oz. limoncello
• 0.125 oz. cinnamon syrup
• Dash of lemon bitters

Stir with ice and strain into coupe.

Lemon, rose and cinnamon. Yeah, I used rosé which has nothing to do with roses, but I really liked what it leant to the drink over a London Dry.

Plus it gave me a perfect name.

Herb Alpert’s Root Notes

• 1.5 oz. silver tequila
• 0.5 oz. Royal Combier liqueur
• 0.5 oz. pomegranate juice
• 0.25 oz. Kümmel
• 0.25 oz. chicory liqueur

Shake with ice and strain into coupe.

This one started with tequila and pomegranate and grew from there. Orange paired well, and the kümmel and chicory came out of nowhere during experimentation. But it all worked out tastily.

The name came from one of my Name My Cocktail evenings, with Brian Sawyer winning the prize for this gem. The fact that my daughter plays the trumpet and is currently learning some Herb Alpert had nothing to do with the selection.

Complementary, My Dear Watson

• 1.0 oz. Scarlet Ibis rum
• 1.0 oz. aged agricole rum (Clement VSOP)
• 0.5 oz. passion fruit syrup
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.25 oz. Green Chartreuse
• dash of vanilla bitters

Shake with ice and strain into snifter.

I’m always game to mix passion fruit with rum. Lemon is there for the acid, of course, then I added the Chartreuse to play a bit with the herbaceousness of the agricole.

I was stuck a bit for a name. First, because of the rum, I was thinking about A Study in Scarlet, but I really thought the actual color would need to be red in that case. Then I thought about the red (scarlet) and green (Chartreuse), and the fact they were complementary colors, then stuck with the Sherlock theme. Elementary really.

Outrigger Happy

• 1.0 oz. Smith & Cross rum
• 1.0 oz. Santa Teresa rum
• 0 5 oz. vanilla liqueur
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• 0.25 oz. Velvet Falernum
• 0.25 oz. Benedictine
• 0.25 oz. cinnamon syrup
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Dash of Elemakule Tiki bitters

Shake with ice and strain into coupe.

Been a while since I concocted this, so I’ve lost the thread. Looking at the ingredients though I think I was just likely playing with lots of my favorite flavors, and that’s just fine.

I had a little outrigger model I bought in Maui. The name seemed to suit. And it does make me happy.

Full Fathom Five

• 1.0 oz. Bombay Sapphire East
• 1.0 oz. Plantation Pineapple Fancy Stiggin’s rum
• 0.5 oz. Ginger liqueur
• 0.25 oz. Tamarind liqueur (Art in the Age)
• 0.25 oz. Cinnamon syrup
• Dash of orange bitters
• Dash of Angostura bitters

Stir with ice then strain into coupe.

East India tiki drink. That’s about it. Full Fathom Five translates to Lost at Sea via Shakespeare’s Tempest. Five ingredients (plus bitters), and a template for losing yourself.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Be Bitter

• 1.5 oz. Bonded Rye
• 0.5 oz. Cherry Heering
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.25 oz. Royal Combier Grande liqueur
• 0.25 oz. Cynar 70

Stir with ice then strain into glass. Garnish with dried lemon.

I wanted a bitter rye drink with lemon. I got one. That’s about it.

The name struck me in an instant and there was no going back.