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Italian Playboy

1 1⁄2 oz Bourbon (full proof)
1 oz Campari
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1 t Apricot jam
Instructions

Shake. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with lemon peel.

Notes

Full proof bourbon was all I had. A tad overpowering so it needed a good long shake.

History

Using up apricot preserves a friend brought back from vacation, I riffed on the Italian Gentleman and the Breakfast Bourbon to get a gentleman who stays over.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Altered recipe
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Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
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Importer

Instructions

Stir, strain, up. Express orange peel and discard.

Notes

Inspiration for this drink was taken from the Cloakroom Bar in Montreal.

Picture of Importer
Yields Drink
Year
2019
Authenticity
Your original creation
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(10 ratings)
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Rio Grande (1937)

Instructions

Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass, garnish with orange peel

Notes

The chocolate bitters and orange peel are additions by Frank Caiafa. He uses a housemade cocoa bitters (2 parts housemade citrus bitters or Regan's Orange Bitters to 1 part cacao nibs, infused for 3 weeks) and recommends Fee Bros. Aztec Chocolate Bitters as a substitute. I used 2 dashes Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters and 1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters.

History

Originally published in "Café Royal Cocktail Book", William J. Tarling, United Kingdom Bartenders Guild, 1937

Yields Drink
Year
1937
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Frank Caiafa, Peacock Alley, Waldorf-Astoria, New York, NY
Source reference

"The Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book," Frank Caiafa, Penguin Books, 2016

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(10 ratings)
From other users
  • Used 1 oz Espolpon reposado tequila, 1.25 oz Hayman Old Tom gin, 1 oz Contratto bianco vermouth, 1 dsh Regan's orange bitters, and 2 dsh Fee Bros Aztec chocolate bitters. Also expressed orange peel. Light but complex. Rate: 4.0
  • Nice combo of the reposado and bitters. I like it. Perhaps it could be improved a bit by adjusting the Old Tom?
  • Made with Lunazul, Dolin, Scrappys/Regans. Some nice floral tones but also an almost fernet-like medicinal quality.
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Rites of Spring

1 1⁄2 oz Aquavit, Tattersall
1⁄4 oz Pear liqueur
1 T Oleo-saccharum
2 ds Bitters (as float)
1 twst Lemon peel (as garnish)
1 Star anise (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir; strain; up; float bitters and add garnishes.

Notes

Source suggests 4 oranges, 4 lemons, and 1/2 c. sugar for the oleo saccharum.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(3 ratings)
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  • Moder's Ruin — Aquavit, Aromatized wine, Salers Gentiane, Citrus vodka, Honey Distillate, Carrot Eau-de-vie, Lemon peel
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Pangolindo commented on 5/17/2020:

Very nice. I just muddled bergamot and lemon peel with homemade pear liqueur. 1/3 pear instead of 1/4. A tad sweet but spices from aquavit balanced the whole thing. I added 1 drop eachpeach and  bittermens winter melon.

5 stars.


Debole & Tallawah

1 oz Contratto Aperitif
1 bsp Herbal liqueur, Pernod
1 sli Orange
Instructions

Muddle a thin slice of orange with the Pernod in a rocks glass. Add the rest, stir, and then add a large cube/sphere of ice.

Notes

Not nearly as strong as you'd think it would be, both in power and flavor. Feel free to swap Aperol or any other low ABV aperitivo for the Contratto (stuff in the Campari range will not work).

History

The name is Italian and Jamaican patois for Weak & Strong. I speak neither language; feel free to correct me if some of that feels off to you.

Yields Drink
Year
2019
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Micah Stupak, Brooklyn, NY
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(1 rating)
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Thigh High Boots

2 oz Bourbon, Heaven Hill
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
3⁄4 oz Cinnamon syrup
3⁄4 oz Aromatized wine, Cocchi Americano
1⁄2 oz Luxardo Bitter
1⁄2 oz Ramazzotti
1 twst Orange peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake; strain; rock.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
T. J. Lynch, Loverboy, New York, New York (USA)
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(8 ratings)
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Mixin In Ansley commented on 9/16/2023:

Sweet autumn transition drink. Next time I will dial back cocchi slightly. (Second pass). Not quite 3/4 cinnamon syrup, sub Suze on bitters, 1/2 cocchi ,Averna sub on Ramazaotti. Far more balance and finesse. Quite impressive drink actually.


Pick Me Up No. 2

Instructions

Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass, garnish with lemon peel

History

Originally published in "Drinks", Jacques Straub of The Blackstone (Chicago), 1914

Yields Drink
Year
1914
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Frank Caiafa, Peacock Alley, Waldorf-Astoria, New York, NY
Source reference

"The Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book," Frank Caiafa, Penguin Books, 2016

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(4 ratings)
From other users
  • Very good but a bit too much Absinthe for me, so the second time I made it I used 1.25 oz Brandy (Delord Armagnac) and 1.25 oz vermouth (Carpano Antica) and 1 oz Absinthe. It was much better. — ★★★★
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Cara A commented on 7/08/2023:

Taking a tip from others, I kept the original amounts of cognac and vermouth, and used about 1/3 of the absinthe that was called for. Delicious!


Dandara

1 1⁄2 oz Rum, Bacardi 8
1⁄2 oz Manzanilla sherry, La Gitana
1⁄2 oz Averna
1 ds Balsamic Vinegar
1 twst Orange peel
Instructions

Throwing with ice. Strain to lowball with big ice. Garnish orange peel

Picture of Dandara
Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Michelly Rossi
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(2 ratings)
From other users
  • I was worried it would be salad dressing but it was surprisingly complex and light. I used different sherry and rum, so might try again with proper brands.
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Craig E commented on 1/29/2019:

"Amaro" is a very broad category; I wonder what type is intended, or would work well, here.




Lazo

2 oz Rum, Bacardi 8
1⁄2 oz Honey syrup
1⁄2 oz Espresso
1 twst Grapefruit peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake, double strain in cocktail glass. Garnish with grapefruit peel

History

Brazil finalist on Bacardi Legacy

Picture of Lazo
Yields Drink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Ariel Todeschini
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(9 ratings)
From other users
  • Creative and different! Espresso and grapefruit is delicious. I made this with Flor de Cana 5 year. Next time I might try Black Seal to really stand up to the coffee. Don't be shy about the salt.
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Peppermary commented on 9/19/2020:

Update: I tried this with Gosling's Black Seal rum and it is 1000% amazing. This might honestly be my favorite cocktail in the world. The coffee and the dark rum marry to an intense caramel flavor. You can put salt directly in the cocktail shaker -- no need to fuss with salt solution if you don't want to. 


Ariel Todeschini commented on 8/25/2021:

It's flattering to read this. Haven't searched for this cocktail on the web for a year and I should've done that earlier. Thanks for testing with other Rums, Gosling's must have worked beautifully. Cheers!


Foreign Affairs

3⁄4 oz Rye, Sazerac
3⁄4 oz Dry vermouth, Dolin
1⁄2 oz Campari
1⁄2 oz Simple syrup
1 twst Orange peel (stirred)
1 wdg Orange (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir, strain into a DOF over one big rock, garnish.

Yields Drink
Year
2019
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Rafa García Febles, NYC.
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(6 ratings)
From other users
  • I halved the simple syrup to better suit my tastes. It's very good. — ★★★★
  • This one is interesting, but it's very sweet for me. Maybe try again without the addition of the simple.
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lesliec commented on 1/30/2019:

Dammit, Rafa - I didn't buy that new bottle of Peychaud's just for you, y'know! Lovely drink, though.


xiaobao12 commented on 11/19/2020:

What is a DOF?

EDIT: Doubled Old Fashioned. Got it.