Ott's Special

1 1⁄2 oz Gin
3⁄4 oz Strega
3⁄4 oz Dry vermouth
1 ds Orange bitters, Regans' orange bitters
1 ds Bitters, Fee Brothers Orange
1 twst Orange peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir; strain; garnish.

History

Chris Amirault of eGullet found this in a 1937 UK Bartenders' Guild book.

Picture of Ott's Special
Yields Drink
Year
<=1937
Authenticity
Altered recipe
Creator
Jack Powell
Source reference

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/35798-strega/?do=findComment&comment=1…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(7 ratings)
From other users
  • Gives the Strega a stage to shine on.
  • Must try
  • Sophisticated spin on a martini. Maybe a touch too sweet.
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Shawn C commented on 1/29/2023:

I am not rating the posted cocktail, since I adjusted this from the 1937 Cafe Royale Cocktail Book ratios because I know the period cocktails often run a bit sweet with intense liqueur flavor. I used 2 oz Tanqueray, 1/2 Strega, 1/2 Noilly Prat Extra Dry, 2 dashes Regan's orange bitters, orange twist. This worked for my palate and I would rate it a 4, still substantial sweetness, but showcasing the herbal/botanical character of the Strega (which is similar to the Basque liqueur Izarra Jaune which I am fond of, a bit less sweet than Yellow Chartreuse, with more herbal character.) I will probably try this again with the Izarra to compare.

Burning Times

2 oz Gin, Plymouth
3⁄4 oz Strega
1⁄4 oz Fernet Branca
2 ds Bitters, Boker's
1 twst Lemon peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir; strain; garnish

Yields Drink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Chris Amirault, eGullet
Source reference

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/35798-strega/?do=findComment&comment=1…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(14 ratings)
From other users
  • Good drink. Surprisingly spice-forward.
  • A very good use of two ingredients (actually three with the Bokers) that have a lot of strength and can overpower a drink easily in Strega and Fernet Branca. The creator has balanced these to great effect.
  • Really nice, the fernet is well behaved. Strong and sophisticated.
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iScrumhalf commented on 2/06/2025:

Fernet Branca leads with a cold minty inhale. Strega complements the earthiness of Plymouth on the palate and the two amari are surprisingly balanced in these ratios. Fee Cardamom (Boker’s) bitters bridge any gap between them. Sweetness is a touch too much as it warms. Drink quickly from a well-chilled glass

La couronne de poire renversée

2 oz Cognac
3⁄4 oz Pear liqueur, Clear Creek
1⁄2 oz Brown Sugar Simple syrup
1 Whole egg
1 pn Nutmeg (as garnish, to taste)
Instructions

Dry shake 15 seconds, shake 15 seconds, strain, chilled coupé, garnish.

Notes

Feel free to substitute Massenez Poire Williams eau de vie for the pear brandy. Use the freshest available, local, free-range egg available.

Yields Drink
Year
2018
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Chris J Zähller
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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  • Apricot Flip — Cognac, Apricot liqueur, Whole egg, Simple syrup, Nutmeg

Mosby Mule

2 oz Rye, Bulleit
3⁄4 oz Key lime
1⁄2 oz Cinnamon syrup
1 oz Ginger beer
Instructions

Shaken first three ingredients with ice and pour over the ginger

Yields Drink
Year
2017
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Dennis Frye
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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  • Rye Maple Fizz — Rye, Bitters, Lemon juice, Grade B maple syrup, Soda water, Egg white, Cinnamon
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Marrakesh Express

1 1⁄2 oz Mezcal
1 1⁄2 oz Pomegranate juice
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
3⁄4 oz Simple syrup
1 1⁄2 t Chili pepper (Harissa Paste)
3⁄4 t Rose water
1⁄2 oz Egg white
1 pn Pomegranate seeds (as garnish)
1 pn Pink Peppercorn (as garnish)
1 pn Salt, Maldon (as garnish)
Instructions

Dry shake, shake with ice, strain, rocks, garnish.

Yields Drink
Year
2018
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Gabriella Mlynarczyk,Los Angeles, CA
Source reference

One-Bottle Cocktail;https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2018/04/marrakesh-express-pomegrana…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(6 ratings)
From other users
  • A fantastic idea that looked promising and looked good. In practice, we just didn't love it. — ★★
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Trading Partners

2 oz Overproof rum, Plantation O.F.T.D.
1 1⁄2 oz Grapefruit juice
1 oz Lime juice
3⁄4 oz Cinnamon syrup
1⁄4 oz Bitters, Angostura
2 ds Absinthe
Instructions

Shake, strain, rocks glass on crushed ice.

Yields Drink
Year
2018
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
redditor bettercocktails
Source reference

https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/84gg91/trading_partners/

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(9 ratings)
From other users
  • Def make again. Maybe because I didn’t have the right rum, came out on the tart side even with 1 oz cinn syrup. Will try again with less lime.
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Craig E commented on 4/15/2018:

Will all that fit in an ice-filled rocks glass?

noksagt commented on 4/16/2018:

In the source, it fit in a DOF, though there's not a ton of crushed ice (a gated pour would need to catch most ice). When i made it, it was barely too large for my DOF.

The volume of tiki drinks varies widely. This is large, but not the largest. A larger tiki mug would be a great vessel for this, but I noted and tried what was published.

Deadbolt

1 1⁄4 oz Mezcal, El Peloton de la Muerte
1 1⁄4 oz Blended Scotch, Bank Note
1⁄2 oz Cynar 70 (or regular)
1⁄2 oz Falernum, Velvet Falernum
2 ds Chocolate bitters, Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate
1 twst Grapefruit peel (expressed and discarded)
Instructions

Stir, strain, down, no ice

Yields Drink
Year
2016
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Joe Slavinski, Russell House Tavern, Cambridge, MA
Source reference

http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2017/12/deadbolt.html

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(23 ratings)
From other users
  • Enjoyable but something of an acquired taste. Not for everyone. Pleasantly easy to make, and one big cube was not out of place. (N.B.: We stirred with crushed ice, not cubed.) — ★★★★
  • Mezcal was slightly overpowering - reduce to 1 oz
  • Smoky & yummy
  • Very smoky; I used mole bitters which was probably a little much.
  • Complex, slightly smokey, subtle chocolate. A wonderful, rich, complex cocktail. Could easily take a big cube. — ★★★★
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HallA commented on 2/18/2022:

This is complex and I think actually quite approachable. Pretty impressively balanced for the players but I suspect regular cynar would suffer. Very nice.

Travis Bickel commented on 10/03/2022:

Used high proof Bourbon instead of blended scotch and added Peychaud's bitters with Mole bitters for chocolate and anise undertones. Poured into rock's glass with one large cube and it worked real well.

Herbaceous Apple Sour

1 1⁄2 oz Calvados
1⁄2 oz Orgeat
1⁄2 oz Herbal liqueur, Green Chartreuse
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
2 ds Bitters, Boker's
Instructions

Shake strong, coupe, dash of bitter boker's

Yields Drink
Year
2018
Authenticity
Your original creation
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(6 ratings)
From other users
  • Next time I'd dial back the lime to 0.5 oz, but very good nonetheless. Upped the Chartreuse by 0.25 to re-balance, and that worked too!
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flickerdart commented on 6/15/2021:

Made with Genepi instead of Chartreuse. Haters will say they're totally different but it worked very well.

Amplification

1 1⁄2 oz Gin, Plymouth Navy Strength
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄4 oz Raspberry liqueur, St. George
1⁄4 oz Aperitivo (Caffo Mezzodi)
Instructions

Shake, up, lime twist

History

Created for a genomics-themed party.

Yields Drink
Year
2017
Authenticity
Your original creation
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(2 ratings)
Similar cocktails

Extraction

2 oz Vodka (strawberry infused, see note)
1⁄2 oz Aromatized wine, Lillet Blanc
1⁄4 oz Orange liqueur, Grand Marnier
1 Strawberry (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir, up, garnish with strawberry on rim of martini glass

Notes

We rapid-infused the vodka with fresh strawberries, but mostly for fun; I'm not sure muddling and straining wouldn't have been at least as effective.

History

Created for a genomics-themed party.

Yields Drink
Year
2017
Authenticity
Your original creation
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(5 ratings)
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