The Aviation (gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon) This weekend we had ourselves the fine pleasure of bidding adieu to one of Miami's best bartenders. Scott Mayer, the man behind the stick at Sra. Martinez, is finally flying the coop to go work for the man as a brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire. Suffice it to say, this was news to us as we saddled up to the bar Saturday evening. We chatted Scott up, he filled us in on the news of his departure, we expressed how bummed we were, wished him luck and away we went with the drinking. If you don't already know this. Chatting up a bartender about their craft (given their ability to chat you back, of course) will reap you untold benefits. And this past Saturday, before the crush of the post-Artwalk diners, Scott treated us to an absolutely diabolical evening. Ms. Moustachio and I ordered our first round and she began her evening with a Boulevard, a Manhattan play that adds Grand Marnier into the mix, while I started off-- much to the amusement of both Scott and Ms. Moustachio--with the fruity Mure de CanCan, a gin based drink that mixes absinthe, creme de mure and fresh blackberries. From here on out, Scott took over and decided what we were drinking. Clearly, he was looking to enjoy his final Saturday, and who's going to argue with that? For Round 2, he served Ms Moustachio a drink he called "Cortez the Killer" that, despite its desperado-sounding name tasted a bit like Honey Nut Cheerios. Here's the recipe: Cortez the Killer 1/2 oz honey syrup 1 oz amontillado sherry 1 oz reposado tequila 2 dashes lemon bitters I had the Aviation you see in the image above. Take note. The recipe made above is not the original recipe for an Aviation. A true Aviation (again, "true" is a relative term here) called for both maraschino liqueur AND creme de violette which gives the drink a blue-sky tint to it. Abrasive Blackberry flash aside, the drink I drank was a pale rose in color and not as pink as it seems here. Clearly, Scott was preparing bitter, dry, astringent drinks for Ms. Moustachio and was preparing for me aromatic, floral, herb-based drinks. Paired side-by-side, each round provided this really great yin and yang vibe. The presentations, the flavor profile, even the manner of preparation was different each time and really, I can't lie here, showcased Scott's talents as a bartender. We got to talking about gin and that lead to rum and somehow we ended up at Chartreuse. Scott's eyes lit up and he asked us if we've ever had a Last Word. (Tip: If a bartender asks you if you've ever had anything, say no. S/He is this close to making you one). Naturally, we said no (in our case, this was true) and he quickly whipped one up (gin/maraschino/green chartreuse/lemon juice) and handed us a pair of straws. If you've never messed with green or yellow chartreuse, I can't recommend it enough. The herbal notes you'll find in it defy description. Me and the Ms. slurped up about half of it like we were teenagers and this was a chocolate malt and the remaining half we slid across the bar to Scott. It's only fair, right? Now this is where things start to get a bit hazy. Scott let us sip half a shot's worth of Cherry Heering. He let us sip half a shot's worth of his homemade creme de cacao which was absolutely stellar. It tasted like warm chocolate brownies and drank supremely smooth. At this point, I think he whipped up an Afternoon T (one of the staples on the Sra. Martinez menu) which includes homemade apricot preserves together with his own creme de chai and the Newgroni (again, a staple on the menu). Here we ordered food. A lot of it. And water. Imbibe responsibly, kids. Then, came the night cap. There really are no words to describe what Scott whipped up for us to end our evening. This, the ability to dazzle and surprise, is what all great bartenders should (emphasis on should) do for their customers. Being able to recognize what a drinker's tastes are and provide beverages that respond accordingly is a trait I've encountered in only the finest mixologists (still can't quite get used to that word). To start, Scott poured half a shot's worth from an unmarked bottle. Before he'd make us our final drink, he wanted us to guess what this liqueur was. The only hint he gave us was that his wife bet him he couldn't make this drink, that it wouldn't be successful. At first sip, it tasted like vanilla. A strong, warm, creamy vanilla. I guessed birthday cake. He said I was close. I guessed vanilla cupcake, with sprinkles. He said I was getting warmer. Whatever it was, it was fantastic. Whatever it was, he needs to bottle the damn thing. What it was was, creme de Krispy Kreme. Our minds were sufficiently blown out our brains. It was all there. The warmth, the doughy goodness, the sugary vanilla glaze in a thick, rich pour, almost like a brandy. Simply spectacular. He poured it into a large brandy snifter, together with coffee infused tequila and called it The Squad Car. I mean, how perfect is that? What better drink to send you off into the night with? We drank some more water, paid our bill (when your liquor tab practically doubles your food tab, you know you did some damage), left Scott a sizable tip--although really, there's no price to be put on that kind of care and attention--and wished him all the luck in the world. Given what that man is capable of behind the stick, there's no doubt he'll be ready for whatever challenges lay ahead. Godspeed Mr. Mayer, and Cheers! This one's for you.
