Named for Ernest Shackleton’s ship “Endurance,” which, trapped in Antarctic pack ice, sank in 1915 and was discovered in 2022. Used “Shackleton” Scotch whisky as the base, a blended malt based on bottles discovered at one of Ernest Shackleton’s earlier expedition sites.

I was inspired by the Daiquiri-esque The Drink of Laughter and Forgetting (served to me at Cure in New Orleans in 2011 and that I make for folks at work) to see if its 3 parts Cynar to 1 part Green Chartreuse base would work in a Manhattan. I had previously used the duo as the support to base spirits in the Up Jumped the Devil and the Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck, but here I wanted to use them as the base again. For the support, I focused on the Punt e Mes-Maraschino combination of the Red Hook. For a name, since there was already a Milan Kundera book title connection with The Drink of Laughter and Forgetting, I likewise dubbed this The Drink of Insignificance.

Flank speed rooster tails are quite an adventure.

In memory of a Naval Academy graduate who learned to love coffee while on the midwatch.

On St. Paddy's Day 2022, a guest at Drink requested a creamy and minty cocktail. Instead of reaching for the Bailey's, I opted for the heavy cream in the direction of an Alexander. Veering from an Irish Whiskey Alexander, I split the crème de cacao with crème de menthe, and dubbed this one the Irish Grasshopper. With my bottle of Glendalough 7 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, this creation was a hit that I made a few times that night and once by request later that week.

I had a couple at work who only wanted floral drinks. For their second round, one of them wanted a flowery version of a De La Louisiane. I originally doubled up the rye whiskey (at work we use equal parts with the sweet vermouth and Benedictine but with a 110° rye) and swapped out the sweet vermouth for St. Germain. That swap and adjustment was not only a bit sweet, but a bit too bright. I added in some of the vermouth in the form of Punt e Mes especially given how well it works with elderflower in the Maximilian Affair, and that solidified the combination. For a name, I later dubbed this one the Fleur Carré when I made it at home.

A guest at Drink wanted a gin cocktail but described a Penicillin. Therefore, I made it as such with a London Dry in the mix and a Genever as the float (albeit more hefty than the smoky Scotch amount in the original). They enjoyed it so much that I made one that night when I got home. For a name, I searched around for a Dutch-themed antibiotic with little to show for my efforts, so I dubbed this one the Erasmus after a famous Dutch philosopher.