Long Creek Cattle Co.

     Fernet; The mysterious Italian bitter liqueur. It's referred to as, " The Bartender's Love Affair." While playing around with this minty, herbaceous mix. I started with the ever popular Fernet con Cola. I added a splash of Stirrings Blood Orange bitters to the mix, and found a cocktail baffling. Super intensely minty, herbal and intriguing, No wonder Bartenders love this stuff.
     A trip to the I.O. Speak happened upon a drink called the Dirt 'n Diesel, but instead of blackstrap rum Binoy was using Pyrat Cask 1623. The drink sounded great but lacking Cynar and only having Pyrat XO Reserve on hand I decided to try another route. Craving a nightcap and wanting to play on the ever famous Verte Chaud, I started with Pyrat XO Reserve added a splash of Fernet and topped the mix off with some hot chocolate milk. This drink was so intriguing. Delicious and curious to say the least. It reminded me of a farm so much, the aroma and flavor... maybe hay? or silage? Whatever it is I think it tops the Verte Chaud, although Chartreuse and hot cocoa is great.

Long Creek Cattle Co.
1 1/2 oz. Pyrat XO Reserve Rum
1/4- 1/2 oz. Fernet Branca
3- 4 oz. heated AE Chocolate Milk

Yakuza Old Fashioned

     While out for a night at the I.O. Speak we decided to take on a few selections from the Anvil Bar Top 100 list. We tried to Scofflaw, a very nice drink. I do find whiskey drinks to my liking lately. We also tried the Knickerbocker as a bottle of Marie Brizard had recently been added to the speakeasy.
      Lastly I tried a Japanese Cocktail as the orgeat and brandy mix caught my interest. A couple months later I came across the idea for using the basic Old Fashioned and mixing the components into the Japanese.

     The drink came out quite intriguing. The orgeat and bitters mixed well to give the drink a good flavor. I chose a mix of cognac, rum, and bourbon for the base and mostly the bourbon came out of the drink, but it needed something more. Adding a splash of cola opened the drink up enormously. Very drinkable, very rounded taste. I think the trifecta helps add alot of flavor.

     Yakuza Old Fashioned

3/4 oz. Knob Creek Bourbon

3/4 oz. Remy Martin VSOP

3/4 oz. Bacardi Select Dark Rum

3/4 oz. Torani Orgeat

2 large dashes Angostura bitters

stir with ice and strain over fresh ice

top with a splash of Pepsi Throwback

LBC Mule

     My first Last Word was first sipped at my favorite drinking spot, the I.O. Speak, in Omaha's Old Market area. This drink gave me a great appreciation for Chartreuse, as I now drink it often. I found the sourness to be pleasing as well, I do love a sour drink.

      As I searched the Old Market more I found an agricole rhum version at another now favorite of mine, The Boiler Room. The strained the drink over crushed ice and used a rosemary garnish. I liked the new play on words, as it was called The Parabla, they also introduced house-made falernum into their rendention. Both are great drinks in my mind.

(this is the Last Word as presented at a new bar in Benson; Lot 2)

     For a third try I ventured home to Des Moines, Iowa on a one day trip to get away. At the newly opened  Americana Bar I sampled the Blake's Sage. The description sounded the closest to what I was looking for but as with most drinks there it's base was vodka. An easy switch to New Amsterdam gin and this produced a drink very much like a Last Word with way more herbal flavor. With some preperation the ginger- black peppercorn syrup wouldn't be a setback at all. Muddled with fresh cucumber, mint leaves and basil with the gin and lemon juice, now that's a drink right down my alley. 

     And for my creation for the herbal gin drinks, I have been pouring what I call the LBC Mule for over two years. It adds a great amount of herbal notes to the classic Gin Buck. 

    

LBC Mule

1.5 oz. Tanqueray Gin

0.5 oz. simple syrup

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

juice of 2 lemon wedges and 2 lime wedges

1 Tblsp. chopped cucumber

4-6 mint leaves

1 large basil leaf

- muddle, shake and strain over crushed ice

top with gingerale

lime, mint and/or basil leaf garnish