Curated Cocktails: Fall 2019

Beverage director Marlowe Johnson’s flower martini is as beautiful as it is delicious. It’s made with Watershed Distillery Four Peel Gin, golden raisin infused Bols Genever, dry vermouth, pineau des chantres, which is a French aperitif, flower syrup, and blooming flower tea. “The flower syrup really elevates the whole thing,” says Johnson. “I’m so happy it’s finally on the menu and people can enjoy it.”

“Awamori can be enjoyed on the rocks, straight, or with warm or cold water, but our favorite is when it’s served as a highball,” says Tara Babbins of Japan’s oldest distilled spirit. It’s made from long-grain rice and is exclusive to Okinawa. Pictured is the Danryu Danball, or an Awamori highball, with lime. Lots of fresh-squeezed lime, in fact, and a splash of soda. It’s incredibly simple, light, and refreshing.

Cocktail virtuoso Nicolas Torres is “known for going to great lengths to perfect his conjurings,” says Esquire magazine. Say hello to Torres’ version of a martini. The Laurel Martini blends three gins from Islay, Menorca, and Austria, two types of vermouth, Meyer, and a California Bay tincture. Swap out those jarred olives for a gorgeous meyer lemon leaf.

The star ingredient in this cocktail is white kimchi juice. Head bartender Jun Hyung Kwon wanted to make a riff on a classic Gibson. The kimchi martini is made with Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Beefeater London dry gin, cilantro-infused Dolin blanc vermouth, and Kehoe’s Kitchen white kimchi juice.

The bar that pioneered Chicago’s craft cocktail scene continues to put up delicious, seasonal cocktails that guests will line up outside the door to try. Pictured is a margarita with flavors of banana, clove, and cinnamon. It’s made with Union Mezcal, Arette Reposado, and Giffard Banane Du Bresil, which gives it a rich, oaky banana flavor. To finish, the bartender grates fresh nutmeg on top.

This is the Grace Hall, named after Ernest Hemingway’s mother, who happened to be an American opera singer, music teacher, and painter. The cocktail is made with dark rum, cuarentas y tres (a popular Spanish liqueur made only in Cartagen), dry curacao, lemon, and pink salt.

Not all great cocktails need booze. At The Mackenzie Room, the Al Capone & Cardamom is a flip-style mocktail (read: frothy from egg whites) that uses butterfly pea flowers, or little blue flowers native to Southeast Asia to make a syrup. This gives the drink that deep purple hue. Steeped cardamom tea gives it a nice depth of flavor and apple juice amps up the acidity.

The Reserve Albertine at Run for the Roses is made with the legendary Chartreuse V.E.P., which has over 130 herbs and plants, Kirschwasser (German for cherry water), Luxardo Maraschino, and 1960s Cointreau. The cocktail is presented in a special vintage monk to honor the monks of the Chartreuse monasteries.

Celebrate fall with Field & Main’s newest non-alcoholic cocktail. The Apple Nog has apple, spices, lemon, miso, almond, and egg white. The miso, or fermented bean paste, offers a subtle savory flavor that keeps the drink from being too sweet. Feel free to ask for this one to be made with your preferred spirit. We suggest whiskey, rum, or cognac.