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Scandinavian-Inspired Negroni

1 oz Aquavit, Brennivin
3⁄4 oz Aperol
Instructions

Stir in a mixing glass, serve up, express orange twist over top and discard

Yields Drink
Year
2015 or earlier
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Tyler Hauptmann, Fenrir, Portland, Oregon
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
From other users
  • Love this variation--the caraway adds a nice accent.
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  • Scandagroni — Aquavit, Gran Classico, Sweet vermouth, Amontillado Sherry, Orange
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Shawn C commented on 3/06/2025:

Curated to fix discrepancies with link: Changed name to match link. Listing as authentic, with 2015 or earlier as year. Changed aquavit to Brennivin which is a signature Icelandic style, flavored only with caraway. Served up, twist not shown in two drink pictures, so assume it is discarded after expression.



Shawn C commented on 3/21/2025:

If you are making it with Gran Classico, then you really should try the Scandagroni (which I recently posted here). It uses Krogstad Aquavit rather than Brennivin, and adds Amontillado sherry. This was on the Krogstad site until the site went down recently.


Calabrian shipwreck

1 1⁄2 oz Amaro, Jefferson Amaro Importante
1 1⁄2 oz Bourbon
3⁄4 oz Walnut Liqueur, Nocello
Instructions

Combine all with ice. Shake. Strain. Coupe.

History

Backstory of Jefferson amaro involves a shipwreck in Calabria.
Delicious amaro. Nice combination with bourbon and walnut.

Yields Drink
Year
2024
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Tom Marrion
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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Northern Lights (tropical)

2 oz Herbal liqueur, Jeppson's Malort (See notes for modulating the bitterness)
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Passion fruit syrup
1⁄2 oz Honey syrup (1:1)
1 spg Mint (1-3 sprigs as garnish)
Instructions

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs.

Notes

Perhaps 1 oz each of Malört and Bourbon would work well here too for a slightly less bitter-herbal balance or adjust to your preferred bitterness level.

History

After seeing the recipes for the Port Light and Starboard Light in Trader Vic, I became inspired. For some reason, I decided that instead of whisk(e)y, what if I were to replace the spirit with Malört? I might have made the connection when I misremembered making a riff of Nick Jarrett's Prizefighter that included Malört and passion fruit; in the end, those were two different drinks: the Cutman and the Cornerman, respectively. For a name, I was considering the Nordic Light akin to the Nordic Toddy, but the Northern Lights seemed rather nautical especially for boats a bit further north.

Yields Drink
Year
2019
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Frederic Yarm, Boston, MA
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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Oona O'Neill

1 1⁄2 oz Whiskey (see notes)
3⁄4 oz Amaro, Foro
1⁄2 oz Oloroso sherry (Dios Baco Oloroso)
1 sli Lemon (dehydrated, as garnish)
Instructions

Stir over ice, strain into chilled cocktail (e.g. Nick & Nora) glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.

Notes

Mythology Distillery lists this cocktail as using "house whiskey" which is not specified. It might be their American Whiskey blend of rye (95% rye), a high rye bourbon, and a wheated bourbon. I used Bulleit bourbon.

Foro amaro is often used in Black Manhattan riffs in place of Averna, but the oloroso sherry in this particular cocktail elevates and deepens the rich flavor.

History

Earliest archived link is from the distillery's website in 2023. Creator not given.

The cocktail is named after Oona O'Neill, who was Eugene O'Neill's daughter and Charlie Chaplin's wife.

Yields Drink
Year
2023 (?)
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Steamboat Springs, Colorado (?)
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(1 rating)
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Viva Maria! #2

1 1⁄2 oz Blanco tequila
1⁄2 oz Nocino
Instructions

Build over ice. Optional lemon twist

Notes

Curator's note: There is an older, unrelated tequila cocktail with the Viva Maria! name, so the one here has been renamed to #2 per the suggestion of the latter's creator.

History

Named after the Louis Malle 1965 film starring Jeanne Moreau and Brigitte Bardot, shot in Mexico. The Benedictine seems an appropriate hat-tip to a theme of the movie

Yields Drink
Year
2013
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
haresfur, Bendigo, Australia
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
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Monkey Island

3⁄4 oz Gin
3⁄4 oz Damson gin liqueur (original called for bullace gin)
1 oz Dry vermouth, Noilly Prat (Used "original" rather than "extra dry.")
1⁄4 oz Khoosh Bitter
Instructions

Stir with ice, strain into cocktail glass. (Historical cocktail called for shake, I don't recommend doing that.)

Notes

Khoosh bitter was established in 1882, went through liquidation in 1900, but was still selling product until it went defunct sometime before WWII, with the last advertising seen in 1937. It has been revived/re-imagined by Phoenyx Spirits in 2022/2023.

The current iteration of Khoosh is a 40 proof orange bitter amaro, with turmeric for color; cardamom, anise, black tea and Indian spices for flavor; quassia amara as the primary bittering agent: and an infusion from a mix of citrus peel, including kumquat.

The Monkey Island recipe from 1937's Cafe Royale Cocktail Book is:
1 dash Khoosh Bitters.
1/4 Bullace Gin (bullace is a fruit related to sloe or damson.)
1/4 London Dry Gin.
1/2 French Vermouth.

Alterations:
I have used 1/4 oz of Khoosh in the altered recipe, to account for possibly higher strength and bitterness of original, and ill defined/larger dashes often used at the time.

Substituted Averell damson gin for bullace gin--a good sloe gin would also work.

Noilly Prat Dry "original dry" (hard to come by in the U.S) rather than the extra dry that has replaced it. Reduced the vermouth from ~1/2 the drink to little more than 1/3 while boosting the others.

History

Originally published in the 1937 "Cafe Royale Cocktail Book" by W. J. Tarling. Ratios adjusted for modern ingredients and tastes.

Yields Drink
Year
1937 or earlier
Authenticity
Altered recipe
Creator
M. McGarry
Source reference

1937 "Cafe Royale Cocktail Book" by W. J. Tarling

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(1 rating)
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Complementhe

3⁄4 oz Rye, Rittenhouse 100
3⁄4 oz Bourbon, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Crème de Menthe, Tempus Fugit
2 1⁄2 Strawberry (2 muddled; 1/2 as garnish)
1 lf Mint (as garnish)
Instructions

Muddle two strawberries, shake, double strain, rock, garnish.

Notes

Use a quality creme de menthe for this as that is the feature flavor.

History

Winner of the Reddit Original Cocktail Competition, March 2025: Strawberry and mint.

Picture of Complementhe
Craig Eliason
Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Craig Eliason, Saint Paul, Minnesota (USA)
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(1 rating)
From other users
  • Drink is a cloudy red-orange. Nose is minty, fresh, and green. Sip is strawberry lemonade. On the swallow, that flavor turns in a julep direction. Citrus tang in the finish, with gentle spiciness.
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Little Maggie

1 1⁄2 oz Applejack, Lairds
1 oz Bergamot liqueur, Italicus
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a frozen coupe glass.

History

"Little Maggie"
Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovC1jULtcMM

Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Carl N.
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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Big Surprise

1 1⁄2 oz Whiskey, Bulleit (12-Year_Old Rye)
1 oz Almond liqueur
1⁄2 oz Fernet Branca
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Lavender syrup
1⁄2 oz Balsamic Vinegar (18 Year Old Balsamic Vinegar)
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a frozen coupe glass.

History

Watching "The Munsters", the very first episode.

Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Carl N.
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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Dinner Time

1 1⁄2 oz Gin, The Botanist
1 oz Herbal liqueur (Yuzuri Yuzu Liqueur)
3 ds Bitters (Angostura Cocoa Bitters)
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a frozen coupe glass.

History

Relaxing before dinner, watching "Robin Hood" (1939) with Errol Flynn.

Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Carl N.
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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