I first encountered this cocktail when I was assigned a story about the Metexa for Punch. Originally, it called for blanc quinquina, blanco tequila, and Swedish punsch, a liqueur with notes of spice, citrus and tea. I was fascinated by the structure of the drink, which leaned heavily on the fortified wine. For this version, the wine stays in the starring role, but I swapped out the moody, broody Swedish punsch in favor of summery apricot liqueur and added a little spicy habanero shrub and saline for dimension.

The original Tia Juano is a spirit-forward tequila drink with French vermouth (it’s hard to know whether blanc or dry would have been used) and a touch of Campari. I brought the proportions from the book’s 4:3:1 ratio to a more traditional Negroni structure, adding in a touch of apricot liqueur. It’s a really nice summery Negroni variation that’s kind of a bittersweet stone-fruit gummy.

By the 1860s, it was common practice to add liqueurs–Curaçao and maraschino in the early days–to the Cocktail’s original formula. The term “Fancy Cocktail” typically denotes this addition and the assurance of a lemon twist, too. “Improved Cocktails” typically layer yet more flavor, with absinthe, multiple liqueurs, or a combination of bitters. The recipe below is technically an Improved Cocktail, though omitting the absinthe will knock it down to the “Fancy” level.

I’ve centered this Improved Whiskey Cocktail, the third in my Improved Cocktail series from spring 2021, on rye. Rye was the mixing (American) whiskey of choice through the nineteenth century, with only some exceptions that call for Bourbon, which was still a very regional product. Unaged apple brandy brightens things up, while Madeira and apricot liqueur team up to lend a buttery stone fruit profile. An uncommon sweetener in the form of brown sugar syrup grounds the whole thing and points to the colonial-era inspiration behind the drink, bolstered by walnut bitters and nutmeg.