Illegal Dance Moves

1 oz Mezcal
1 oz Pineapple rum
1⁄2 oz Amaro, Cappelletti Sfumato Rabarbaro (Zucca will work too)
1⁄2 oz Crème de Banane
1 ds Absinthe
Instructions

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.

History

I became inspired by the banana-Sfumato combination in the Tarantula and Sfumato Swizzle and began scheming. Soon, crème de banane made me think of pineapple rum and Sfumato suggested mezcal to me. When the mix tasted a bit dark, I added in a dash of absinthe to brighten flavor balance. For a name, I dubbed this one Illegal Dance Moves named after a double IPA from the sadly departed Mystic Brewery.

Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Frederic Yarm, Somerville, MA
Source reference

https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2025/04/illegal-dance-moves.html

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Average rating
5 stars
(3 ratings)
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  • Devil's Kitchen — Mezcal, Pineapple rum, Cynar, Crème de Banane, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, Bitters, Grapefruit peel

King of the Hoodlums

3⁄4 oz Cognac
3⁄4 oz Demerara Rum
3⁄4 oz Batavia Arrack
1⁄2 oz Amaro (Amaro Ciociaro, Amer Picon, or China-China)
1⁄2 oz Crème de Cacao
2 ds Bitters, Angostura
1 twst Orange peel (As garnish)
Instructions

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.

History

I was inspired by the Cognac, Guyana rum, and Batavia Arrack split base in the 1930s Darling Cocktail, and I decided to mash it up with the Ciociaro-cacao combination from Little Branch's African Flower. Part of my thinking was due to how well crème de cacao and Batavia Arrack work in drinks like the 18th Century and Mutiny on the Mili Atoll. For a name, I dubbed this one the King of the Hoodlums after a character described in Herbert Asbury's The Barbary Coast book. James Riley who was better known to the San Francisco Police as that nickname came to San Francisco from New York City in 1868 and soon became one of the principal criminal ornaments.

Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Frederic Yarm, Somerville, MA
Source reference

https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2025/04/king-of-hoodlums.html

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(2 ratings)
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The Same Dream

1 oz Haitian Rum (unaged)
1 1⁄2 oz Cognac VSOP
1⁄2 oz Falernum
1⁄4 oz Campari
4 ds Coconut (coconut blast: see Notes)
2 ds Orange bitters, Regans' orange bitters
1 twst Orange peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir; strain; rock; garnish.

Notes

For the coconut blast: Inspired by a recipe at Punch, my coconut blast is just 100 proof vodka fat-washed with virgin coconut oil, and put in a dasher bottle.
My go-to falernum recipe is the one at Serious Eats.
For the rum use a funky unaged rhum agricole or clairin; I used San Zanj Haitian white rum.

History

Winner of the April 2025 Reddit Original Cocktail Competition: Lime and coconut.

Picture of The Same Dream
Craig Eliason
Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Craig Eliason, Saint Paul, Minnesota (USA)
Source reference

https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/1jofkzd/original_cocktail_c…

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From other users
  • Clear reddish orange. Orange on nose with coconut and Campari, blood oranges. Sip is grape & coconut, rum funk on swallow. Then cloves & Campari bitterness. Coconut builds.
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Charleston (L'Epicerie Tour d'Argent)

1 oz Gin, Le Gin de Christian Drouin
2⁄3 oz La Gauloise Verte
1⁄2 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1 twst Lemon peel
Instructions

Shake with ice, double strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Notes

This cocktail is very similar in construction to the Gypsy, although with substantially different proportions. Most importantly two unusual/distinctive ingredients are used: Le Gin de Christian Drouin as the gin, and La Gauloise Verte in place of Green Chartreuse.

Drouin's gin is made from apple distillate, has different less juniper forward herbal package, and is finished in calvados casks. The result is somewhere between a very dry mild calvados and a less herbal London Dry gin.

La Gauloise is similar to Green Chartreuse, although sweeter and less vegetal/herbal. Among its known botanicals are angelica, St John's wort, saffron, cardamom, and genepi. La Gauloise is an ingredient in 11 cocktails from the extensive "L'Heure du Cocktail" by J. Alimbau and E. Milhora, 1929

History

There are completely different Charleston cocktails, while the history and attribution of this particular recipe is unclear. The date on the page was 5/24/24. It and some classic cocktails were in that posting, but it is not apparent who created it or where it was served.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Unknown
Source reference

https://epicerie.tourdargent.com/en/blog/post/decouvrez-les-meilleures-…

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Average rating
5 stars
(1 rating)
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Ampleforth

1 1⁄2 oz Apple brandy (bonded preferred)
3⁄4 oz Aromatized wine, Lillet Blanc
3⁄4 oz Bénédictine
2 ds Bitters, Fee Brothers Black Walnut
1 twst Lime
Instructions

Stir and strain into a Nick & Nora. Express and discard.

History

Named after Ampleforth Abbey, the Benedictine Abbey known for its apple orchards. I came across the Abbey in an online search and I thought applejack and Benedictine would make a good pairing.

Picture of Ampleforth
Photo by Evan Miller
Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Evan Miller
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
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Shawn C commented on 3/28/2025:

Is the cocktail supposed to have applejack or apple brandy? These are often not the same thing and people too often list applejack where apple brandy is intended. Since bonded is suggested in the note, I assume apple brandy should be specified rather than applejack (which can be blended with up to 80% neutral spirits.)

Netminder69 commented on 3/29/2025:

Interesting. Every bonded Applejack I have seen has been Straight Applejack. I developed using Tom's Foolery Bonded Straight Applejack.

Shawn C commented on 3/29/2025:

Applejack can be straight or even bonded, but it can also be blended with up to 80% neutral spirits and that is where things get messy--flavor is weakened/different. It does have to say "blended" in the name though. Per U.S. regs apple "brandy" by definition is distilled solely from the fermented juice or mash of whole, sound, ripe fruit." From what I have read "straight" with respect to applejack and apple brandy means only apples are used--I think this is redundant with respect to apple brandy except that "straight" can not be used on labels of liqueurs and cordials. "Bonded" requires at least 100 proof and at least 4 years of aging in oak barrels. Generally, if one is going the bonded route, it makes sense to call it apple brandy rather than applejack, although applejack is perfectly fine as a name.

My suggestion would be to set it as "apple brandy" with the note "bonded preferred, including bonded applejack." The apple brandy/applejack thing is pretty confusing overall. The non-bonded "straight" apple brandy or applejack designations should be interchangeable as well, although these are typically aged for shorter periods and are less than 100 proof when bottled. Laird's Jersey Lightning is 100 proof and unaged, with an apple brandy designation.

Netminder69 commented on 4/01/2025:

Fair enough. I’ll change it. It is true that both bottles I have (Tom’s Foolery bonded straight and Laird’s Applejack 86) on the label or in the description call them apple brandy or 100% Apple brandy.

The Borough of Churches

1 oz Rye, Rittenhouse
1 oz Cognac VSOP
1⁄4 oz Amaro (Vigo by Bluecoat)
1⁄4 oz Bianco Vermouth (Rinomato)
2 ds Orange bitters, Angostura
2 ds Bitters, Bittermens Xocolatl Mole
Instructions

Combine all ingredients with ice, stir and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Notes

The rye brings a spicy, dry backbone, while the Cognac VSOP adds a smooth, rich depth with notes of dried fruit and oak. The amaro introduces a touch of bitterness, rounding out the sweetness of the Bianco vermouth. The orange and chocolate bitters elevate the drink with a hint of citrus brightness and a velvety, cacao-infused finish.

Yields Drink
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Your original creation
Creator
Reed Sandridge, Washington, DC
Curator rating
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Average rating
5 stars
(1 rating)
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Buchanan's Ride

1 1⁄2 oz Tequila (21Seeds Valenica Orange)
1 oz Pacharan (Zoco)
3⁄4 oz Cassis
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
2 ds Aztec Chocolate bitters
6 dr Sherry vinegar (25 Yr Old Sherry Vinegar)
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a frozen coupe glass.

History

Watching a Randolph Scott movie, "Buchanan Rides Alone"

Yields Drink
Year
2025
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Carl N.
Curator rating
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Seeds & Things

1 1⁄2 oz Tequila (21Seeds Valenica Orange)
1 oz Suze
1⁄2 oz Falernum, Velvet Falernum
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1⁄8 oz Vinegar (25 Yr Old Sherry Vinegar)
2 ds Peychaud's Bitters
1 pn Salt (Black Volcanic rock salt)
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a frozen coupe glass.

History

My first experiment with 21Seeds Tequila.

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

2 oz Bourbon
2 oz Pineapple juice
3⁄4 oz Allspice Dram, St. Elizabeth
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Simple syrup
Instructions

Shake all ingredients, strain into highball over ice.

History

2019 San Diego Woodford Reserve Competition Winner

Yields Drink
Year
2019
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Robert Adamson, Strong Water, Anaheim, CA (USA)
Source reference

https://lodin.recipes/recipe/southeast-spice-trade
https://www.strongwateranaheim.com/#menu-section

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Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(1 rating)
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Nothing But Thyme

1 1⁄2 oz Aquavit
1 1⁄2 oz Pomegranate juice
1 1⁄2 oz Tonic water
1⁄4 oz Lime
5 spg Thyme (as garnish)
1 sli Lime (as garnish)
Instructions

Combine the aquavit, pomegranate juice, and lime. Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with tonic water. Garnish with a slice of lime and a whole lotta thyme.

Picture of Nothing But Thyme
Yields Drink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
The Bulldog Bar, New Haven, CT
Curator rating
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