20th Century

1 1/2 oz. Beefeater
3/4 oz. Marie Brizard White Creme de Cacao
3/4 oz. Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz. Lemon juice


Shake all the ingredients with ice, then double strain into a coupe.
    

First off, Happy Memorial Day 2017.  This drink is actually the first in the book, so I've looked at it probably 100 times.  I've been wanting to try it for a while but I haven't been able to find Marie Brizard products anywhere here in Houston.  I luckily sent a chance email to the Spec's people and they were somehow able to score me a bottle.

I can't say this drink is a favorite of mine but it does seem to have a little of everything.  Dryness from the gin.  Sweetness from the White Cacao.  Bitterness from the Cocchi.  Tartness from the lemon.  I guess that's why they named it after an era, it has everything.

Honeysuckle

2 oz. Flor de Cana Extra-Dry White Rum
3/4 oz. Lime juice
3/4 oz. Acacia honey syrup
Lime wedge

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe.  Garnish with the lime wedge.
    

Delicious.  A Daiquiri with a touch of honey.  I'm really liking Flor de Cana rum too.  Affordable and yet unique in flavor.

Toronto

2 oz. Rittenhouse 100
1/2 oz. Fernet-Branca
1 tsp. Demerara syrup
Lemon twist

Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a Nick & Nora glass.  Garnish with the lemon twist.
    

My first time dabbling in Fernet-Branca.  Must be an acquired taste.  That shit is bold.

I manned up and got the drink down.  It's how I roll.

French 95

2 oz. Buffalo Trace
3/4 oz. Lemon juice
1/2 oz. Cane sugar syrup
Dry champagne

Shake all the ingredients with 3 ice cubes, then strain into a fizz glass over 2 ice cubes.  Top with champagne.
    

This drink is pretty great.  Sweet and tasty.

Airmail

1 oz. Ron del Barrilito 3-Star rum
1/2 oz. Lime juice
1/2 oz. Acacia honey syrup
Dry champagne

Shake all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a flute.  Top with champagne.
    

Looks like piss.  Tastes like heaven.  Really enjoyed this for a champagne drink.  Pretty sweet but enjoyable.

Acacia Honey Syrup

2 parts Acacia honey
1 part water

In a small container, combine both and shake vigorously until the honey is dissolved.

Old Pal

1 1/2 oz. Rittenhouse 100 Rye
3/4 oz. Campari
3/4 oz. Dolin Dry vermouth
1 Lemon twist

Stir all ingredients over ice, then strain into a Nick & Nora glass.  Lemon twist for garnish.
    

I wish I liked Campari, but honestly I find it slightly revolting.  I think everyone does somewhere inside.  Super easy drink to make.  The whiskey kept me interested for a little while, but for the most part I was glad when this drink was over.

Seersucker

1 Strawberry
2 oz. Flor de Cana Extra-Dry
1 oz. Lemon juice
1/2 oz. Cinnamon bark syrup
1 Strawberry

Gently muddle the strawberry.  Add the remaining ingredients and short shake with ice.  Strain into a small pilsner glass filled with crushed ice.  Add strawberry garnish.
    

Pretty delicious as you might imagine.  Very refreshing.

Mig Royale

1 oz. Plymouth gin
3/4 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino
1/2 oz. Lemon juice
Dry champagne

Shake everything over ice.  Strain into a flute/coupe then top with champagne.
    

I had pretty high hopes for this drink.  Mainly because the picture in the book makes it look so delicious.  But in the end it was just okay.  The Maraschino is so powerful so it comes through quite a bit.  But it's easy to make so I went ahead and made two. :)

Cinnamon Girl

2 Orange wedges
2 oz. Siete Leguas Reposado
1/4 oz. Smith & Cross
3/4 oz. Lime juice
1/2 oz. Cinnamon bark syrup
1/4 oz. Cane sugar syrup
1 dash House orange bitters
1 Orange crescent

Cut two wedges from and orange and drop into a shaker.  Prep garnish - orange crescent.   Muddle the two orange wedges.  Add the remaining ingredients to the shaker.  Before adding ice and shaking, fill a double rocks glass with crushed ice.  Now shake.  Strain into the glass and garnish with the orange crescent.    

This drink is awesome.  Very refreshing.  There's a lot of steps to it so it takes some time to make, but worth it.  Not sure it works with a different rum, as the Smith & Cross is so strong and potent.  It doesn't take much.  On the list of regulars for sure.

Gin Fizz

2 oz. Beefeater
3/4 oz. Lemon juice
3/4 oz. Simple syrup
1 Egg white
Club soda

Dry shake all ingredients (except Club soda), then shake again with ice.  Double strain into a fizz glass and top with Club soda.  No garnish.

So this was a little rough and I may be to blame.  Everything started well.  I dry shook for like two minutes (which feels like forever) and shook with ice for probably another minute.  I took a first sip and was happy.  But then I got called away to change a diaper (the joys of parenting).  I think I did something else as well.  Anyway, I came back to finish and by the end of the drink I was getting a little bit of the 'wet dog' smell you can get from an egg white cocktail.  I've read a little bit about this.  You've gotta drink egg white cocktails quick.  Also, supposedly the little white fleshy part in the egg white is what makes it smell and you can remove it.  Maybe I'll try that next time.  Or just let the diaper wait.

Gin Rickey

2 oz. Beefeater
1 oz. Lime juice
1/2 oz. Simple syrup
Club soda
1 Lime wedge

Prep garnish - lime wedge.  Short shake all ingredients (except Club soda) with 3 ice cubes, then strain into a highball glass filled with ice cubes.  Top with Club soda.  Give a quick stir with a barspoon.  Add lime wedge.

A refreshing pull after working in the yard this past weekend.  I think giving the drink and quick stir after the Club soda helps make it a bit more consistent.  The first attempt I didn't stir so it felt like a slug of Club on top of lime,  sugar, and gin.  The second round tasted much better.

Jekyll and Hyde

1 1/2 oz. Eagle Rare 10-year
1/2 oz. Laird's Bonded
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon Bark syrup
1 tsp. Demerara syrup
2 dashes Bitter Truth Aromatic bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 Orange twist
1 Lemon twist

Prep garnish - lemon & orange twists.  Stir everything over ice then strain into a double rocks glass over 1 large ice cube.  Add orange and lemon twists.

Went with an Old Fashioned variant for my first drink outside the 'Classic & Vintage' chapter.  Enjoyed a few with a neighbor.

Cinnamon Bark Syrup

5 cinnamon sticks (cassia)
1 cup water
1 sugar


Muddle the cinnamon sticks in a saucepan until broken up.  Add the sugar and the water.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand overnight.  Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a small bottle.

Old Fashioned

2 oz. Eagle Rare 10-year
1 tsp. Demerara syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash Bitter Truth Aromatic bitters
1 Orange twist
1 Lemon twist

Stir everything over ice then strain into a double rocks glass over 1 large ice cube.  Add orange and lemon twists.

Who doesn't love an Old Fashioned?  The granddaddy of them all.

Demerara Syrup

1 cup demerara sugar
1/2 cup water

Add to a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and without bringing to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved.

Last Word

3/4 oz. Beefeater
3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino
3/4 oz. Lime juice

Shake everything with ice then strain into a coupe.

At first glance I thought this drink was going to be gross as I'm still new to the Chartreuse's of the world.  And at first sip I was not a fan.  But once everything mellowed a bit, I could taste some of the lime juice coming through and I was actually liking it by the end and wanted another.  An interesting blend of herbal-bitter and citrus.

Margarita

Kosher salt
2 oz. Siembra Azul Blanco
3/4 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lime juice
1/4 oz. Agave nectar
1 Lime wedge

Prep garnish - lime wedge.  Rim a double rocks glass with salt.  Shake everything with ice then strain into the glass filled ice.  Add garnish.

I feel like I've had 1,000 margaritas in my life, so what's one more really.  It's probably the last thing I'd order if I ever visited the real Death & Co.  But a Classic nonetheless I suppose.  I was excited to find Siembra Azul at the Spec's Downtown.  It's in a lot of drinks throughout the book and several infusions as well.

Paloma

Kosher salt
1/2 Lime
2 oz. El Tesoro Platinum
1/2 oz. Grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. Simple syrup
San Pellegrino Pompelmo Grapefruit soda
1 Lime wheel

Prep garnish - lime wheel.  Rim a highball glass with salt.  Squeeze the lime half into a shaker and drop it in.  Add the tequila, grapefruit juice, and simple syrup and shake.  Strain into a highball glass filled ice and top with grapefruit soda.  Add garnish & straw.

I had a Paloma for the first time last year at a steakhouse with my wife.  It was a very different version than this one because of the soda used.  They used Q Soda which I remember being drier and having more pink grapefruit flavor and color.  I liked that version a little bit better but this drink is still very enjoyable.  The San Pellegrino Grapefruit soda is a little hard to find, but I found it at the Spec's Downtown store in their grocery section.  You've got to make a couple of these in order to utilize the soda and grapefruit juice.  I'm usually always okay with that.

Simple Syrup

1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup water

Add to a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and without bringing to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved.

Diamondback

2 oz. Rittenhouse 100 Rye
1/2 oz. Laird's Bonded
1/2 oz. Yellow Chartreuse

Stir all the ingredients over ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass.

I lied about the Daiquiri.  The Diamondback is probably the easiest drink in the world to make.  It's pretty overpowering when sipping this drink at the start, and I don't think I'm going to be a big Chartreuse fan.  But, the drink mellows out a bit after a while and I found myself finishing it pretty quick.  Only one drink tonight though; meetings in the morning.  Cheers