Barfly: The Knickerbocker

The problem with most tiki cocktails is that they sacrifice sophistication for zaniness. Doing the limbo? Mai tais all round. But when toasting a colleague’s promotion or celebrating a hostile takeover (you know, grown-up stuff) you need something a little less Jimmy Buffett and a little more Warren Buffett. And that’s where the Knickerbocker comes in. While it sounds like something from a Raymond Chandler novel, it’s actually much older-a mid 1800s concoction that’s the spiritual father of the tiki cocktail. It has more tartness than your average Zombie, which makes it perfect for summer (and even a few won’t send you into diabetic shock). Note: there’s another version of the Knickerbocker out there that’s a martini with red vermouth-it’s not bad, but save it till fall.

                             2 oz Cruzan rum
                       1 oz fresh lemon juice
                        ½ oz raspberry syrup
                       1/ 3 oz Orange Curaçao
                         (Cointreau will also work)

Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker, strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with fresh berries.

Watch and Learn

As Hawksworth’s bar manager Brad Stanton uses local raspberries and blueberries to mix a Knickerbocker