My cocktail is on fire. Not the rinse of mezcal on the glass—the rosemary curling from the ice. When it’s good and charred, a blend of Knob Creek Rye, herbal Cynar and maple is poured over, layering actual smoke on so many smoky flavors. Oak & Ivy calls it the Forest Fire Swizzle ($14), a theatrical sipper that mellows the rye just right for a late-spring evening.
The Container Park bar may be charmingly teensy, but its seasonal “creations” run far and wild. Ocha & Ivy ($13) looks delicately painted, with perfect little blossoms afloat on Absolut Wild Tea whisked with green matcha, lemon, local honey and Bittermens. The aesthetic is liquefied lawn, the taste softly tangy and fresh.
The stunner is Pear Trade ($12). Wine-based aperitif Cappelletti is sweetly floral and just bitter enough to rough up the round, ripe pear of Rekorderlig cider. There’s a hit of lemon, too, adding tartness to an easy drinker with surprising backbone and a beautiful pink blush. You’ll love it so much you might just use the lemongrass garnish as a straw.