The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our October 2022 issue.
The Chalice in Wonderland at L’Opossum (Photo by Jay Paul)
You know that awesome feeling when you come across a wild-looking drink from a bar that you trust to do a wild thing right? That’s our focus this month: the scary-good cocktail — as in, you’re a little uneasy, but you want to trust the process. Happy spook month, everyone. Go enjoy something weird.
Yisheng Manhattan
What you really need to know about the Yisheng Manhattan at Fat Dragon is that it features a Dr. Pepper reduction. At first it seems kooky, until you recall the cherry-amaretto nuances laced in Dr. Pepper’s flavor profile. Twelve-year Dickel, vermouth and bitters bring the Manhattan warm fuzzies, while a dash of amaro ties things together for a bittersweet, boozy delight.
2 ounces George Dickel 12-Year whiskey
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1/4 ounce Ramazzotti amaro liqueur
1/4 ounce Dr. Pepper reduction
Lemon peel
Shake and pour over a king cube of ice, garnish with a lemon peel.
13th and Hull
If you’ve had a Lost in Translation, the 13th and Hull at Jubilee is a long-lost relative, offering a more subtle sweetness from the bourbon and Falernum, rather than simple syrup, plus a tang of grapefruit that lends to a rounder mouthfeel than lime. Almond, grapefruit and minty licorice hints from Fernet seem like an odd mix, but it all makes sense at first sip.
Developed with Beth Dixon of Salt and Acid
1 1/2 ounces Four Roses bourbon
3/4 ounce Falernum
1 1/2 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
9 dashes Fernet Branca
Freshly grated nutmeg
Add first four ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake for 20 seconds, strain into an Old-Fashioned glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Chalice in Wonderland
It may not have a Christmasy name, but the Chalice in Wonderland at L’Opossum drinks like a holiday treat: hints of fireside smoke from the scotch and layers of candy notes straight from the stocking. Despite their strong differences, coconut rum, cinnamon syrup and Fernet join forces in this surprisingly harmonious sipper.
1 1/2 ounces Dewar’s Scotch whisky
1/2 ounce Bacardi Coconut Rum
1/2 ounce cinnamon syrup
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce Fernet Branca
Twist (lemon or orange)
Add all ingredients to shaker tin with ice, shake vigorously, pour cocktail with the ice into chalice of choice, and serve with a twist of lemon or orange.
Gold-Fashioned
OK, get ready: banana, curry, pimento. Hello there, Gold-Fashioned. Banana seems to be making the rounds among bar pros right now, but the other two elements are challenging, to say the least. A light hand and a killer sense of balance are needed to pull off curry in a beverage, but Sabai does it, with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength working its magic here.
2 ounces Maker’s Mark Cask Strength bourbon
1/2 ounce banana-curry cordial (recipe below)
2 dashes Dale DeGroff’s Pimento (allspice) Aromatic Bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Stir and pour over king cube. Squeeze both lemon and orange peel.
Banana-curry Cordial
16 ounces white sugar
16 ounces water
1 tablespoon yellow curry mix
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon clove powder
2 mashed over-ripe bananas
Simmer in pot, strain and cool.
Add 1 1/2 ounces banana liqueur or 1 ounce of clear neutral spirit.
