Life Sentence

2 oz Rye
1⁄2 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1⁄2 oz Bénédictine
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
4 ds Rhubarb bitters
1 ds Bitters, Angostura
1 twst Orange peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake, strain, serve straight up, granish

Yields Drink
Year
2011
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Brian Vollmer, Roast, Detroit, MI
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(15 ratings)
From other users
  • Enjoyable. No sugar necessary. Add a dash of orange juice. Decrease rhubarb bitters to 6 dashes when doubling the receipe.
  • Double everything but garnish. :-)
  • Used Bulleit; would be better with 3 dashes of rhubarb bitters instead of 4
  • Nicely balanced, complex but light drink.
  • Powerful, with strong flavors. 4 dashes of Rhubarb bitters may be 1 or 2 too many with Fee Brother's bitters. May be better with non-overproof rye. Good drink. Alice liked. — ★★★★
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christina in tacoma commented on 9/24/2011:

We had a Life Sentence vs. Prosecutor Throwdown; these cocktails are rather similar (Benedictine vs. Yellow Chartreuse; bitters or not; slight differences in Rye: liqueur ratio). In these recipes, the Benedictine and Yellow Chartreuse are pretty interchangeable. While both were good, for us, the slight edge went to the Life Sentence; the bitters made the difference. Used Wild Turkey Rye.

La Perla

1 1⁄2 oz Reposado Tequila
1 1⁄2 oz Fino sherry (Manzanilla, if possible)
3⁄4 oz Pear liqueur, Mathilde
1 twst Lemon peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir, strain, cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon twist.

Yields Drink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Jacques Bezuidenhout, San Francisco
Source reference

http://www.imbibemagazine.com/La-Perla-Recipe

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
From other users
  • First Olson sherry cocktail winner.
Similar cocktails
Dan commented on 1/09/2011:

Clarified that the sherry should be very dry, preferable a Manzanilla.

Bella Luna

2 oz Gin, Plymouth
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
3⁄4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1⁄2 oz Crème Yvette
1 t Simple syrup
Instructions

Shake, strain, straight up, cocktail glass.

Notes

Basically a Rob Cooper Aviation

Yields Drink
Year
2009
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Brian Miller, Death & Co, New York, NY
Source reference

Death and Co, pg. 154

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(8 ratings)
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  • Two Lips — Genever, Elderflower liqueur, Lemon juice, Grapefruit juice, Lemon
Zachary Pearson commented on 10/25/2014:

Updated this as per the recipe in the Death and Co. book.

Thanks,

Zachary

Dan commented on 10/25/2014:

Hard to believe it needs the simple!

queenshaboo commented on 4/13/2017:

Mine wasn't candylike: reduced st germain to .5, omitted syrup, probably would do better with even less st germain as it overpowers the creme yvette even at the reduced amount, sprig of rosemary which I didn't think would work but lent a nice spicy herbal touch to tame the sweetness a little.

Star Daisy

3⁄4 oz Gin
3⁄4 oz Applejack
3⁄4 oz Orange Curaçao
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
Instructions

Shake, strain, serve up

Notes

As made at John Dory - too sour for some, may want to add simple syrup

Picture of Star Daisy
©2010 Kindred Cocktails
Yields Drink
Authenticity
Altered recipe
Creator
Sasha Petraske, John Dory, New York, NY
Source reference

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/dining/07tipsy.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(11 ratings)
From other users
  • Agree with the simple syrup comment- used 1/3 oz 1:1. Sidecar-like, in the best way. — ★★★★
  • Just what you'd expect from the ingredients. — ★★★
  • Be not proud. Add the simple syrup
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yarm commented on 3/18/2023:

This pre-dates Sasha. It's based off of a century old classic that they made famous by taking it out of obscurity and putting on a menu at the John Dory Oyster Bar. Couldn't find which book had the curaçao version but I did find a few that had the grenadine Star Daisy. The NY Times article (behind a paywall) about it describes the lineage a little better (but I can't get to it now).

drinkingandthinking commented on 3/21/2025:

It's definitely on the sour side, but pleasantly so. I feel like the applejack is a bit lost so I upped it to 1 or so and it made a difference and cut the sour a tad which made it much better for me.

Pisco Mezcal Fizz

1 oz Pisco, Tabernero Quebranta
1 oz Mezcal, Del Maguey Chichicapa
1 oz Simple syrup (skinny)
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
1 Egg white
Instructions

Build in shaker, add egg white, and dry shake. Add ice, shake well, strain into collins glass without ice. Top with soda and lemon peel expressed and discarded.

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Unknown
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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The Dry Season

1 oz Mezcal, Del Maguey Vida
1 oz Tequila, El Tesoro Platinum
1 oz Aromatized wine, Cocchi Americano
1⁄2 oz Aperol (skinny)
Instructions

Build in a mixing glass, add ice and stir. Strain into a chilled, stemmed glass

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Kyle Davidson, Chicago, The Violet Hour
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(14 ratings)
From other users
  • Used Fidencio Clásico instead of Vida. Boozy and balanced. Reminds me of my variant of the Rosita (w/ perfect vermouth and Gran Classico).
  • Great agave drink, surprinsingly drinkable with such an amount of mezcal — ★★★★
  • One of the more pleasant employments of mezcal, to my taste. Lovely clear orange color.
  • Intensely smoking, pepper, with a surprisingly mild fruit background. Very slightly bitter finish. A good sipper. — ★★★★
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Seb0410 commented on 11/10/2013:

Amazed by the perfect balance of this recipe. VERY well done IMHO.

The Half Windsor

2 oz Aromatized wine, Cocchi Americano
1 oz Grapefruit juice
1⁄2 oz Cognac
Instructions

Build in shaker, add ice, shake briefly don't over dilute

Notes

Cocchi and grapefruit start sweet then sing together in a lightly sour/bitter finish

Yields Drink
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Kyle Davidson, Chicago, The Violet Hour
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(12 ratings)
From other users
  • Wonderful low-alcohol apertivo that replaces the more typical bitterness with a smooth tartness. Very enjoyable light drink!
  • Tasty. Sweet then bitter, but mildly so. Would be a nice sub for a pre-dinner white wine. — ★★★★★
  • Light, balanced, and interesting. Mildly bitter. Stefan enjoyed it. — ★★★★
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christina in tacoma commented on 2/05/2012:

Not bad, but I mostly taste grapefruit juice. I think this would be worth trying again with 1/2 oz grapefruit juice and a little club soda.

Cynario commented on 2/07/2013:

I made this up with a laphroaig rinse, 1.5 oz cocchi, 1 oz cognac, and 1/2 oz grapefruit. A different drink, but really delicious.

Crimson Gradient

1 oz Campari
2 oz Ginger beer
Instructions

Build over ice, lowball, don't stir.

Notes

Originally written as 3oz to 6oz in a highball -- a rather big drink by modern standards.

Yields Drink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Source reference

http://its12oclocksomewhere.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/campari-or-how-i-l…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(7 ratings)
From other users
  • Interesting and pretty. Starts out all spicy and mildly bitter and ends the opposite.
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Liquid Gold

1 1⁄2 oz Cognac, Rémy Martin
1 1⁄2 oz White grape juice
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1 ds Bitters, Angostura
2 oz Champagne, Veuve Clicquot (as float)
Instructions

Shake, strain, straight up, cocktail glass, float champagne

Yields Drink
Year
2002
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
World Bar, Donald Trump Manhattan Towers, Manhattan, NY
Source reference

Emily Aanderud, Elle magazine

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(2 ratings)
From other users
  • Make it more or less expensive with cognac and champane choices. — ★★★★★
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San la Muerte

2 oz Tequila
1 1⁄2 oz Licor 43
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄3 Chipotle Pepper (Manuka smoked)
3 dr Bitters, Angostura (Garnish)
Instructions

Muddle chipotle pepper, add other ingredients and rest (time allowing). Shake over ice and double strain into coupe. Garnish with bitters.

Yields Drink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Jonathan, Hawthorn Lounge, Wellington, New Zealand
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(4 ratings)
From other users
  • Delicious and slow drinking because it's quite spicy. Initially a bit too sweet for me . 2:1:1 is more Margarita-like. Use very little Chipotle and don't muddle lest it be to spicy. — ★★★★★
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efullerton commented on 3/13/2015:

I didn't think too much of it, I didn't find the chipotle particularly pleasing with the sweetness of the Licor 43—2 stars. I like the Margarilla much better, a very similar drink but with much less Licor 43 that let's the tequila make itself felt.

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