I really enjoyed this, probably because they are ingredients I tend to use heavily in my own cocktails. Bright flavors with a mild sweetness from the honey. I like using a dash of absinthe bitters and hitting it with some soda water. Actually makes it more of a fizz in my book. 4/5.

Not too sure about this one, not at single person at my party liked it and it took me a couple minutes to put it together. Not my favorite

I really enjoyed this as I used Nolet's for the gin and a dash of lavender bitters. All the floral levels were raised exponentially!

Flavor is pleasant but it's turbidity is off putting.

I'm not sure if something changed when the site was updated a few years ago or if the mentioned e-letter had some errors, but the current posted recipe has some unit errors and the wrong year compared to this 2009 origin link for the cocktail: https://meerkatproductsltd.typepad.com/embury/2009/10/friday-night-cock…. So if anyone has balked or not liked the result because of the "2 oz Maraschino cherry", note that it should be two cherries, not ounces. Also, the lemon is not muddled, it is 1/4 oz juice rather than 1/4 lemon.

I didn't have a high proof bourbon like Booker's, so I upped to 2 oz of Buffalo Trace to keep alcohol strength similar. It was good, dominated by blood orange peel essence, but the higher proof bourbon called for would have been better (less dilute.) It might be worth adding up to half a barspoon of the brandied cherry syrup to adjust sweetness and cherry vs. the lemon juice and bitters.

Fixed this - thanks for the link. Clarified instructions slightly. Thanks, Zachary

Updated this to reflect the cited article - added 1/2 oz Dolin Blanc.

Marlowe,

They're the same thing. Since we have a lot of Bianco (semisweet, but light in color) vermouths, it didn't make a lot of sense to rig up the database to handle Dolin Blanc.

Thanks,

Zachary

Quite close to http://www.kindredcocktails.com/cocktail/bison-beach?f=2

Paul,

Evidently, these cocktails were created two years apart. Both of them seem legit - from two very different bars. I don't know what the answer is here, but unless Dan has an issue, I'm fine with keeping them both.

Thanks,

Zachary

Drinking this now. Made with Punt e Mes and Siete Leguas Blanco instead of the Vida. This is seriously bitter, obviously. I feel it's a bit unbalanced - I'd love some absinthe or lemon juice to layer out the bitterness. It also seems a bit on the sweet side, and my tolerance for sweet is probably middle of the road. Maybe 1/4 Demerara syrup and 1/4 lemon juice would be better?

Blanco vs. Vida is going to change the drink enormously. That said, I almost always cut Demerara measurements in half, and feel it is appropriate. This isn't a mind-blowing drink or anything (I gave it three stars in my notes), but I think it's an interesting attempt at a bitters-heavy drink - and unique because of the mezcal. With vida, the smokiness helps to balance the bitterness. I can't get Siete Leguas here (sadly - I hear it's excellent), but blancos just don't have the same oomph at .5 ounces.

Come down here and we'll drink some Siete Leguas - it's pretty stunning Tequila. I actually have a bottle of crazy Mezcal waiting for me back in Houston - I have a bartender friend who mules things over the border for me.

I also wonder if a dash of Ango orange would brighten this up.

Thanks,

Zachary

Meehan's Bartender Manual (p. 363) specs the vermouth as Vya sweet (and suggests Cocchi Vermouth di Torino as a good option) and Luxardo maraschino.

There is a negative synergy within this drink.

"Negative synergy" is a good summary of Newark proper.

A very nice cocktail. I wondered if the Fernet Branca would be too assertive, but it was just right, sensibly extending the flavor profile without turning it to menthol. I used Maraska Maraschino Liqueur which played well with the others.

I have now retried this with Letherbee Fernet (and Maraska maraschino liqueur). This is even better than with Fernet Branca, more of a 4.5/5. Letherbee provides a better connection between parts, while slightly dialing down the intensity of Fernet Branca. Works well with a plate of pasta puttanesca. (Letherbee is a good intro to fernet, providing a gateway for Fernet Branca, vastly better than Fernet Vallet which is rather bland.) I am developing an affinity for Laird's Apple Brandy as a base spirit as it can bridge the gap with assertively herbal amaro and fernets. Note: I haven't tried Vya vermouth for this...and I live nearby and have used their Moscato wines for some vino aperitif recipes of my own.