E4 eZ ee K THE WASHINGTON POST.WEDNESDAy, MARCH 18 , 2020
achieving enough market
saturation to experience a
backlash and, of late, a backlash
to that backlash.
r obert Simonson, the d rinks
writer who thoroughly
documented the history of the
modern cocktail in his book “A
Proper Drink” ( and developed the
content for t he mixology app
“modern Classics of the Cocktail
renaissance”), says that only the
Cosmo, the E spresso martini a nd
To mmy’s margarita have really
sPIrIts from E1 gone global. “Some p eople would
argue that the Penicillin has also
achieved that mantle,” h e says,
“but I don’t t hink it’s q uite t here.
Not yet. I think it almost h as to be
drunk in a very p rominent
television s how for i t to get there.”
The volume o f new drinks
coming out o f the cocktail
movement and the rise of the
Internet and social media that has
accompanied it have been mixed
blessings. It’s n ow harder to
separate signal from n oise.
Thousands upon thousands of
cocktails h ave been invented over
the past decades; m ost of them
never go b eyond the four walls of
the establishment t hat created
them.
Some p eople seem to have a
particularly good grasp of the
signal and, as Simonson points
out, w ere also l ucky enough to be
making drinks in influential bars
early in the craft cocktail
movement, back “when it was
possible to put together three or
four i ngredients that hadn’t b een
[together] before and come up
with a modern classic, because
nobody had tried i t,” h e notes.“A nd so the people who were
there on the ground floor were
just — I don’t w ant to discount
their creativity — b ut they were
lucky. T hey were in the right
place at t he right time.”
Several such b artenders —
including P hil Ward, A udrey
Saunders a nd S am ross — h ave
more than o ne of their creations
in that top 15 list. All three cited
simplicity as one of the key
factors that helps a drink “catch”
with a wider audience.
“These days there are a
plethora of delicious housecocktails, but they often will
contain at l east one fairly fussy
bespoke ingredient, which p retty
much s eals their fate to that one
menu,” s ays Saunders, who
invented the G in Gin mule and
the old Cuban.
Bartender S am ross, now of
Attaboy and Diamond reef, w ho
invented both the Penicillin and
the Paper Plane, notes that “it
only makes s ense that for a new
drink to have the b est chance to
spread is for it to be simple,
uncomplicated and p erfectly
balanced, just like the c lassicsthat we’re all still super into.”
If you want to understand what
the fuss about modern cocktails
has been about — c reativity, f resh
ingredients, powerful and
balanced flavors, o ld spirits u sed in
new ways — t hese six d rinks are a
great place to start. If you don’t
already r ecognize them a s modern
classics, consider this your
introduction.
[email protected]Allan is a Hyattsville, Md., writer and
editor. follow her on twitter:
@carrie_the_red.One of these six contemporary drinks could become your new old favorite
Chartreuse Swizzle
1 serving
San francisco bartender marcovaldo Dionysos won a cocktail competition — o ne he almost didn’t e nter —
with this drink in 2002. It uses the boozy, herbal green Chartreuse as a base and adds the spicy tropical clove
liqueur Velvet falernum along with fresh lime and pineapple. The drink is bright, complex and startling.
Dionysos, now at t he bar ABV, says he thinks its success is due to its simplicity (just four ingredients) and the
growing popularity of both Chartreuse and tiki cocktails.
Adapted from bartender marcovaldo Dionysos, from the app “modern Classics of the Cocktail
renaissance” (2016, content by robert Simonson, app designed and produced by martin Doudoroff).Ingredients
lIce
l 11 / 2 ounces green Chartreuse
l1 ounce pineapple juice
l^3 / 4 ounce fresh lime juice
l^1 / 2 ounce Velvet falernum
lfresh mint sprig, for garnishlGrated nutmeg, for garnishsteps
lfill a cocktail shaker and a
Collins glass with ice. Add the
Chartreuse, pineapple juice,
lime juice and Velvet falernumto the shaker. Shake hard, then
strain into the glass. Garnish
with the mint and nutmeg, and
serve.
nutrition | Per serving: 220 calories, 0 g
protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg
sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 24 g sugarGin Gin Mule
1 serving
Audrey Saunders considers
this drink to be an ambassa-
dor for gin. When she created
it in 2000, the use of fresh
juices and herbs was still new
to the cocktail world, and
“overcoming the public’s fear
of gin was a big deal back
then,” she says. Thinking
about the mojito and the mos-
cow mule, Saunders played
with a combination of the two.
“I really loved what was hap-
pening in that mixing glass, so
I started to take it out for a
spin with a handful of differ-
ent gins, and landed on Ta n-
queray. Tanqueray’s big, mus-
cular juniper profile was a
match made in heaven with
all of the other ingredients.”
NoTE: You can use a com-
mercial brand of ginger beer
instead of making the uncar-
bonated version below, but if
you do, Saunders suggests re-
ducing the simple syrup and
picking a brand where the
ginger isn’t muddied by other
flavors, such as reed’s Extra
Ginger Brew. Add it after the
rest of the cocktail is shaken.
Simple syrup can be made
ahead and refrigerated for 1 to
2 months. The homemade
ginger beer can be refrigerat-
ed for up to 5 days (it makes
enough ginger beer for 8
drinks).
Adapted from Audrey
Saunders, owner of Pegu Club
in New York City.
Ingredients
For the simple syrup
l1 cup granulated sugar
l1 cup water
For the ginger beer
l1 cup water
l1 ounce fresh ginger, peeled
and grated
l^3 / 4 teaspoon light brown
sugar
l^1 / 2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
For the drink
lIce
l1 ounce simple syrup
l^3 / 4 ounce fresh lime juice
l2 sprigs fresh mint
l 11 / 2 ounces London dry gin,
such as Ta nqueray
l1 ounce ginger beer (see
NoTE)
steps
lmake the simple syrup: In a
small saucepan, combine
the sugar and water over
medium-high heat, stirring
until the sugar is dissolved,
and bring to a boil. reduce
the heat to low and simmer
for about 3 minutes, until
slightly reduced. remove
from the heat, stir and let
cool completely. Transfer to
a glass jar with a lid and
refrigerate until ready to
use.
lmake the ginger beer: In a
small saucepan over medi-
um-high heat, combine the
water and ginger and bring
to a boil. remove from the
heat and let steep for 1 hour.
Strain the mixture through
a cheesecloth-lined sieve,
pressing on the solids to
extract maximum flavor;
discard the solids.
lAdd the sugar and lime juice
and stir until the sugar is
dissolved. Transfer to a glass
jar with a lid and refrigerate
until needed.
lmake the drink: fill a cop-
per mule mug or a highball
glass with ice. In a cocktail
shaker, muddle the syrup,
lime juice and 1 mint sprig
together, then add ice and
the gin. If using the uncar-
bonated homemade ginger
beer, add it as well. Shake
the drink, then strain into
the glass. Garnish with the
remaining mint sprig.
nutrition | Per serving: 180 calories, 0 g
protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg
sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 19 g sugar
Penicillin
1 serving
In 2005, at the New York speakeasy milk and Honey, Sam ross
had been playing with some new whiskies from Compass Box and
was smitten by Peat monster (a rich, smoky blended Scotch). He
floated some on top of this drink, “and with the gigantic rocks of ice
that we would serve our drinks over, that little pool of smoke and
peat sat on top of the drink and hit your nostrils before you tasted
the mild, balanced concoction underneath.” The space occupied by
milk and Honey is now Attaboy, one of ross’s current bars, and he
says the Penicillin is their most requested drink. “I still get a kick out
of people requesting this drink from me, not knowing it was
invented in those four walls by the guy that’s about to serve them.”
mAKE AHEAD: make the honey-ginger syrup at least 1 day
ahead. The honey-ginger syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Adapted from a recipe by Sam ross of Attaboy.Ingredients
For the honey-ginger syrup
l1 cup honey
l1 cup water
lone (6-inch) piece fresh
ginger, peeled and thinly
sliced
For the drink
lIce
l2 ounces blended Scotch
whisky
l^3 / 4 ounce fresh lemon juice
l^3 / 4 ounce honey-ginger syrup
l^1 / 4 ounce Islay whisky, such as
Peat monster or Laphroaig 10
Year
lCandied or fresh ginger, for
garnishsteps
lmake t he honey-ginger syrup:
In a small saucepan over me-
dium-high heat, combine thehoney, water and ginger and
bring to a boil. While you wait
for the liquid to come to a boil,
stir it to dissolve the honey.
lremove from the heat and let
cool completely. Transfer to a
glass jar with a lid and refrig-
erate overnight.
lThe next day, strain the syrup
and discard the solids.
lmake the drink: Add a large
ice cube to a rocks glass. fill a
cocktail shaker with ice, then
add the blended Scotch, lem-
on juice and honey-ginger syr-
up. Shake, then strain into the
glass. To p with the Islay whis-
ky and garnish with a piece of
candied or fresh ginger.
nutrition | Per serving: 210 calories, 0 g
protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg
sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 13 g sugar
recipes tested by M. carrie Allan; email
questions to [email protected]Paper Plane
1 serving
Bartender Sam ross made the Paper Plane for the Chicago’s new Violet Hour in 2007. He had recently
tasted Amaro Nonino for the first time, and loved it. “my idea was to create an equal parts riff on the Last
Word cocktail,” h e says. “I feel that this cocktail became so popular because it requires no special ingredients
and it’s very easy to remember. [It] requires three relatively easy-to-source bottles of booze and a lemon.”
We found Amaro Nonino Quintessentia at Ace and at Batch 13, both stores in the District.
Adapted from robert Simonson’s “A Proper Drink” (Ten Speed Press, 2016); created by mixologist Sam
ross for the Violet Hour in Chicago.Ingredients
lIce
l^3 / 4 ounce bourbon
l^3 / 4 ounce Amaro Nonino
Quintessentia (see headnote)
l^3 / 4 ounce Aperoll^3 / 4 ounce fresh lemon juicesteps
lChill a coupe glass.
lfill a cocktail shaker with ice
and add the bourbon, Nonino,
Aperol and lemon juice; sealand shake vigorously for 30
seconds. Strain into the chilled
coupe.
nutrition | Per serving: 210 calories, 0 g
protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg
sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 17 g sugarTrinidad Sour
2 servings
A full ounce-and-a-half of Angostura bitters makes this drink —
invented at t he Clover Club in 2008 — a freak of nature. It s eems like
it would be undrinkable, something you’d only choke down on a
dare. While it’s d efinitely a flavor powerhouse, the balance between
the spicy bitters and sweet orgeat make the whole thing work, and
the ingredients are universally available. “Every bartender can
make it, and guests are surprised when they can’t nail the flavors in
it or what spirit it is,” s ays Giuseppe Gonzalez, now at mott 32 in Las
Vegas.
If you want to add a frothy top layer, include half an egg white in
the mix.
orgeat is an almond-flavored syrup. You can make it yourself;
seek out a craft-made orgeat, such as the one made by and available
via SmallHandfoods.com; or use one of the widely available brands,
such as Liber or BG reynolds.
Adapted from Giuseppe Gonzalez of mott 32 in Las Vegas.Ingredients
lIce
l3 ounces Angostura bitters
l2 ounces orgeat (see
headnote)
l 11 / 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
l1 ounce rye whiskey
l1 large egg white (optional;
see headnote)steps
lIf you’re not using an egg
white: fill a cocktail shaker
with the ice, then add the
bitters, orgeat, lemon juice
and rye whiskey. Shake vigor-ously for 30 seconds, then
divide evenly between two
cocktail coupes.
lIf you’re using an egg white,
combine the bitters, orgeat,
lemon juice, rye whiskey and
egg in a cocktail shaker; seal
and perform a vigorous “dry
shake” for 30 seconds, then
add the ice. Shake again for 30
seconds, then divide evenly
between two cocktail coupes.
nutrition | Per serving: 240 calories, 0 g
protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg
sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 29 g sugarOaxaca Old Fashioned
1 serving
This modern classic agave cocktail is itself a riff on one of the
oldest classic cocktails, the old fashioned. Phil Ward, now at Altar
in Brooklyn, gets random texts from people when they see his drink
on menus, at bars as far away as Australia and Asia. He says its
popularity at Death & Co. may have been helped along by two
colliding trends: Cocktail people were getting really into old
fashioneds and also discovering agave spirits at around the same
time, and this drink bridged the gap between the two. He considers
it one of three drinks that brought about an epiphany for him: Just a
little good mezcal can totally transform a drink. “It’s like tequila on
steroids.”
Ward recommends a good reposado tequila (like El Te soro) and
notes that the quality of the mezcal is critical. He suggests Del
maguey San Luis del rio. Don’t skip the flamed orange: It’s critical
to both the flavor and the theater.
Adapted from a recipe by Phil Ward in David Kaplan’s “Death &
Co: modern Classic Cocktails” (Te n Speed Press, 2014).Ingredients
lIce
l 11 / 2 ounces reposado tequila
l^1 / 2 ounce mezcal
l1 teaspoon agave nectar
l2 dashes Angostura bitters
lTwist of orange peel, for
garnishsteps
lfill a mixing glass with ice.
Add the tequila, mezcal, agavenectar and bitters; stir until
well chilled. Strain into a
rocks glass filled with ice
(preferably one large cube).
lLight a match; snap the twist
of orange peel through the
flame so the citrus oils fall
onto the surface of the drink,
then drop in the peel.
nutrition | Per serving: 150 calories, 0 g
protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g
saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg
sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugarPHotos by stAcy ZArin goldberg for tHe WAsHington Post
styling by lisA cHerKAsKy for tHe WAsHington PostGin Gin Mule.Paper Plane.Penicillin.Chartreuse swizzle.trinidad sour.Oaxaca Old Fashioned.