Greg J.
Yelp
Third time was charmed. Went five years ago and was blown away by the quality and inventiveness.
Went 18 months ago and much less so; height of busy summer and the bevies were mostly too sweet and just ... nothing special. Felt a bit like a college frat party.
Almost skipped it, based on that underwhelming evening, but had to give it another shot late upon an icy and still midnight clear in January. Just amazing...Perfect soundtrack. Sat at the bar to watch the crew, which builds drinks with a bit of panache & showmanship.
Started with their Whisky for the Holy Ghost and it was in fact a religious experience: Ghost bourbon, amaretto, Maurin Quina, bitters, salt and served in a chilled corked flask topped with smoke that lingered and really added to the ceremony & taste. My fellow penitents had tasty espresso drinks.
It was the second round, however, that was truly memorable. I asked the mad genius behind the bar to concoct an extemporaneous "riff on a Sazerac." Maybe lost in translation, and ended up with more a riff on a vieux carre, but what a riff it was! Michters Rye, calvados in lieu of cognac, a healthy dose of some kind of floral bitters, a few other bitters and a sazeracky absinthe spritz. Guy said he had no idea how it would be, but it was freaking perfection!
Skål, indeed.