EvergreenDan

Kerry -- I am leery of cocktails which contain sweet ingredients without balancing sour or bitter. Those first two cocktails that you "binned" (I love that phrase) were examples, and the one you liked had acid. There are exceptions -- a Manhattan for example. And I don't really care for the sugar in a cock-tail (old fashioned) unless the bitters are actually bitter. I'd be curious to know if find that our tastes follow similar pathes.

There seems to be more than one Colony cocktail. The one on cocktaildb is quite different from the gin+grapefruit or gin+grapefruit+maraschino. If the grapefruit one is correct, then I'm guessing early 20th C grapefruits were quite sour and possibly quite bitter. White grapefruits might be better, but I'd think you could add a touch of lemon for acid and maybe Campari for bitter. But then I've been known to make a "Pink Pegu Club". Hell, I had Meletti on my ice cream last night, so no accounting for my taste.

Yojimbo -- the Fernet is surprisingly subtle. My wife pretty much hates it, and I just make Eeyore's Requiem last night and she loved it like always. You could sub something else minty, I suppose. Cynar is a pretty important amaro. It is worth seeking out. If you like Campari, you'll like (or love) Cynar. On topic, I also made a little trio of M&R bianco, Sutton Cellars Brown Label Vermouth (a dry very spicy vermouth), and Punt e Mes. Nice acid balance, good body, interesting flavors. Would make a nice semi-kinda-perfect Manhattan.

It's a little hard to be helpful without knowing a lot more about your husband, what he likes, what he knows, and what he already has. For example, someone with an interest in exploring new cocktails might like a book or two -- either classics for the novice or exotic books for the experienced. Is he missing any key bartending tools, such as a boston shaker, barspoon, measure (jigger or maybe 2oz OXO measuring cup), and juicer? Maybe a channel knife, dedicated cutting board, and vegetable peeler? Alcohol that he can't find locally and covets would probably be most welcome. You'd have to know what he's interested in and have a friend ship it to you. You also risk loosing it in transit since UPS and USPS won't knowing ship alcohol into a state which forbids it. Is he into tiki drinks? Then maybe some vintage tiki glasses from a thrift store? Some folks like collecting coupes (the wide old-fashioned-looking "champagne" glasses, but smaller) from antique stores. Hope this helps.... If you tell me something about him, I'd also be willing to load up an account in his name at Kindred Cocktails with some interesting cocktails.

It's taking me an inordinately long time to drink up my bottle of M&R bianco. I want to like it, but it lacks the acidity of dry and the richness of a red sweet vermouth. I find I usually reach past it for something more interesting. That said, maybe this will help. And you have to love the name! Eeyore's Requiem by Toby Maloney, The Violet Hour, Chicago, IL 2 oz Campari 1 oz Bianco Vermouth, Dolin 1/2 oz Cynar 1/4 oz Fernet Branca (skinny) 1 ds Orange bitters (50% Fee / 50% Regan's) 3 twst Orange peel (expressed, one as garnish) Stirred, garnished with heavy orange oil and a pigtail twist. My notes: Fabulous. Quite bitter, without any acid to soften it. Fernet adds complexity and depth without obvious menthol. A great drink, even for the Fernet hatter.

One last bottle of Chinotto left, so I made a couple of: Otto's Kin by Dan Chadwick, Kindred Cocktails 1 1/2 oz Dark rum, Barbancourt 1/2 oz Campari 1/2 oz Lime juice 1/2 oz Orange juice (clementine) 1 1/2 oz Chinotto Shake all but Chinotto, strain, rocks, lowball, top with Chinotto, stir gently. I made it with Flor de Cana 7 and finished up the Chinotto with some Rhum JM and lime. I'm now wishing that I'd made it with the white Rhum JM. That stuff is delicious.

Notgroni-like thing: Tanqueray, Cocchi Americano, Cynar. Pretty tasty. Then Rye (manly McKenzie Rye from Finger Lakes Distilling -- maybe too manly), Sutton Cellars Brown Vermouth, Punt e Mes, Bittermens Mole bitters -- sort of a Perfect Manhattan. Very good. Might be better with a more subtle rye.

Anna - The Vesper may have been missing the bitter element that was in Kina Lillet at the time Ian Flemming qrote Casino Royale. Some feel that today Cocchi Americano is a better choice than actual Lillet for historic applications. OTOH, I've read Lillet folks claim that the formula hasn't changed.... Cocchi American is great stuff, if it's available in ON (or Buffalo, he, he). You might try to find it when your Lillet is gone. And you're killing me with those trumpet-shaped cocktail glasses. I'd love to have some. Beautiful and good slosh-resistant ergonomics. I don't care for the shape of classic coupes and conical "Martini" glasses are a pain to serve and drink from.

I tried this again myself. I think with a full oz of Fernet, it is a bit unbalanced. I liked it, but the Campari, gin, and vermouths were like poor old Mark Webber to Sebastian Vettel (for any Formula 1 fans out there). I think I'll try it with 1/2 oz next time.

Yes. Yes it is. Thank you very much. I used Cruzan white. I think I'll try Rhum JM. I just got a bottle and have been enjoying its funkadelic grooviliciousness. I took the liberty of suggesting 1/4 oz of simple. Mocquiri on Kindred Cocktails.

Agreed. I just made it again with the classic Ted Haigh ratios. I made it before with the drier Drink, Boston ratios, and I think that's what I'll use in the future. I used Wild Turkey Rye and Scrappy's Grenadine. A very nice drink.

Ha! I first learned about it from the Kindred Cocktail's ingredient editor (Zach Pearson), who lives in Texas. I'm pretty use you can find it somewhere. It's not hard to find here in Boston. It is an aromatized wine, mildly bitter, with a strong cherry flavor. It is quite sweet (although not like a liqueur) and 32 proof. I like it quite a bit. I paid $38. It is not a direct sub for sweet vermouth as the cherry is quite strong (unless that's what you're after). Last night I played with a white rhum agricole, Maurin Quina, Cocchi Americano, and lemon -- sort of like the above, but rum based. It was good. I'll try gin next.

I wasn't successful finding them in stores, so I bought them here: OXO 2 oz measuring cup I found it much easier to use than regular jiggers, especially if you don't use speed pourers.

Was this the Redline? If so, it was named for Boston's subway line that goes through Harvard Square. If it was a different cocktail by this name, I'd love the know the recipe. Redline by Chowhound DavidSqPro 2 oz Rye 1 3/4 oz Grapefruit juice 1/4 oz Lemon juice 1/4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain 1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur 1/4 oz Campari 4 dr Absinthe 2 ds Peychaud's Bitters 2 ds Angostura bitters Shake, Rocks, Lowball I use a kitchen measuring spoon for teaspoon measurements. It also helps to know that 3 tsp = 1 tbsp = 1/2 oz. So sometimes you see 1 1/2 tsp and you know that that is just a 1/4 oz. I use the 2 oz OXO measuring cup for regular drinks and the 8 oz OXO measuring cup for larger batches. A "dash" of Bittermens bitters is about 1" of liquid in the dropper.

I like the Jasmine, but I love the Bitter Elder: Bitter Elder by AmateurHour, commenter on Oh Go.sh and Cocktail Chronicales 1 1/2 oz Gin 3/4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain 1/2 oz Campari 1/2 oz Lemon juice Shake, strain, straight up, cocktail My notes: Absolutely delicious. Made with Tanqueray. More Campari isn't bad -- 3/4 oz

Went to Lord Hobo and had this gem. One of the best drinks I've had in a long time: Coasta de Morte by Lord Hobo, Cambridge, MA 1 1/4 oz Blended Scotch (John Barr) 1 1/4 oz Lillet Blanc 1 1/4 oz Maurin Quina 1 ds Orange bitters Stir, strain, chilled lowball, straight (no ice) Fantastic. The use of the blended whiskey keeps the scotch flavor in check with the Lillet and Maurin Quina. A really fabulous drink, even for the non-Scotch lover. I might try Cocchi when I make it myself. -- Kindred Cocktails | Craft + Collect + Concoct + Categorize + Community

Dear Sunny&Rummy, I tried your Mai Tai recipe with Smith & Cross, Clement VSOP, Flor de Cana 7, and Trader Tiki orgeat. The result was, as Julia Child said, a bit of alright. It is me or my subs? Signed, Crabby in Boston

ED3 is tasty, but very sweet. It does not seem to serve the same purpose as a regular light "house" rum. Brugal could be on a short list of versatile, inexpensive, light rums.

Or just make Hubby a Cosmo tonight... Not exactly sure what Lemon Frizzante tastes like. Like bitter lemon soda or more like fizzy lemonade? I wonder if this might be good with seltzer, lemon juice and oil, and a little sugar or simple. I have been drinking Bonal and lemon as a second drink. Maybe I'll try a touch of Campari (along these lines). OTOH, I keep putting in a little rye, which doesn't make the "let's have a light little something else" go so well. This thread makes me happy.

My god, you keep picking my favorite cocktails. One small correction, however. The original Paper Plane uses Amaro Nonino, not Ramazzotti. The Paper Airplane variant uses Ramazzotti and Campari in lieu of Aperol. Amaro Nonino is a much more delicate amaro and mates with the less bitter Aperol. Ramazzotti is much bolder and goes with the Campari. Of the two, I prefer the Airplane, myself. Cheaper, too! Both Paper (Air)plane recipes with attribution

Anna -- with only 1 tsp of each liqueur, the 3/4oz of lemon might be too sour for some. Perhaps this contributed to your metza metza reaction? Using another tsp of Maraschino might help with the acid balance. I'm not hugely fond of Violette, so 1 tsp is enough for me, whereas Kerry use 1 1/2 tsp (= 1/4 oz). If the second tsp of Maraschino is too much, you could reduce the lemon a bit, or even add a tsp of simple. BTW, you guys are mixing up some very sophisticated cocktails. You are definitely no longer novices!

Double Dang. I inadvertently published my alteration. I prefer it with 3/4 oz Campari, but the authentic recipe is 1/2 oz. Sorry for the confusion.

The Bitter Elder is a very fine cocktail. It needs a wider audience. I wish I knew the real name of its creator: Bitter Elder by AmateurHour, commenter on Oh Go.sh and Cocktail Chronicales 1 1/2 oz Gin 3/4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain 3/4 oz Campari 1/2 oz Lemon juice Shake, strain, straight up, cocktail

I agree -- that is a nice glass. Good ergonomics compared to a conical "Martini" glass. Handsome seltzer bottle, too. If my SodaStream looked like that, I wouldn't hide it in a cabinet!

I wonder which Compass Box scotch they mean. I haven't tried them, but they sure sound pretty different from each other.