This is a classic for a reason. I prefer the newer, 3/4 Oz recipe personally, as I think it lets the flavors meld more harmoniously. I used Basil Hayden Dark Rye, not a great rye on its own but works really well in Manhattan style applications, along with a local brandy-based vermouth (same observation), and Remy Martin VSOP. Spicy, herbal, rich, and at least in my case sweeter than the 6 rating might suggest. A delicious drink.

This is really good! It starts off with cognac/vermouth richness (I used a local brandy-based vermouth from Mt. Defiance), briefly moves into grapefruit, before finishing with warm ginger and a whisper of chocolate from the bitters. Very nicely balanced with a great evolution, highly recommended.

Like many others I had to make substitutions, in my case 2 dashes of smoked cinnamon bitters in place of the syrup. I rather like this drink. I'm not sure I get any rosemary, but the cognac/PeM/Heering combo is really quite pleasant. The Scotch adds some interesting light smoke and an additional dimension to balance the roundness of the cognac. Overall quite pleasant, one I would gladly make again.

Like many others I had to make substitutions, in my case 2 dashes of smoked cinnamon bitters in place of the syrup. I rather like this drink. I'm not sure I get any rosemary, but the cognac/PeM/Heering combo is really quite pleasant. The Scotch adds some interesting light smoke and an additional dimension to balance the roundness of the cognac. Overall quite nice, one I would gladly make again.

Very nice drink. I agree with John Carr below that it is superior to the Preakness cocktail. The cognac adds a really interesting nuance that the other drink lacks.

Very nice drink. Tart and vanilla-forward, although I might bump the grapefruit up to 0.75 Oz, as I felt it was getting a bit lost. Bitters are essential to add character as well, and different options might work equally well.

Remade with Punt e Mes in place of the sweet vermouth and enjoyed it more, but I also feel it us quite a departure from the original. The interplay of grapefruit and PeM is delicious, but I still don't think this is quite it, I will have to keep experimenting

Very nice drink. For me closer to sour proportions than to the Paper Plane's equal parts, but with great herbal complexity thanks to its duo of liqueurs. Don't skip the saline.

Pretty solid drink. The Falernum is a rather unexpected addition, but actually works well, bringing just a hint of spice and lime oil. Very rounded flavors, the rye and Punt e Mes are smoothed out by the other ingredients in a nice, quite nuanced way.

This was indeed another great cocktail, as John said. It was perfectly balanced for me. I used Liber & Co Grapefruit cordial instead of the grapefruit syrup, which brought in just a bit more acidity. 1 Oz of Briland Afrohead: not the best rum, but quite unobtrusive, which worked great here, and 1/3 Oz Appleton Estate Signature to add just a slight undertone of funk and complexity. I love grapefruit bitterness, but the use of the cordial and liqueur here brought grapefruit flavor with much less bitterness, which was delightful in its own right. Really a lovely drink for a quiet late Saturday afternoon.

Very very good cocktail, refreshing and delicately balanced. I used Dashfire Lemon bitters and they helped keep the drink bright. Highly recommended.

I tried this with Aalborg aquavit as suggested by Mark below, and it resulted in a great drink, although I might drop the saline to 4 or so drops next time. Savory, herbal, and perfectly balanced between lemon tartness and sweet.

Very good drink. I agree with others that the cinnamon syrup needs to be controlled lest it takes over. A bit more restrained than the traditional Zombie, but all the better for it.

I often like my drinks a tad sweeter than Simon, but even for me this shouldn't be any sweeter. It's well balanced as is, but it wouldn't take much for the orgeat to take it into cloying territory. The 8:3:2 works well, resulting in a delicate botanical sour with almond hints.

I agree with Caspian's assessment below - interesting, tasty, but slightly too sweet. The hazelnut does not feel out of place, but I found myself missing the bracing bitterness I associate with a Negroni.

Not bad at all. This is a drink where using a reposado definitely makes a difference. The barrel notes give it a different character that to my mind works a lot better with the Nonino than the minerality of a Blanco would.

This is indeed quite delicious. The floral notes from the elderflower work beautifully with the grapefruit and the tequila (I used Ocho Blanco today). I cut down the lime a tad and the lower tartness really let the other ingredients shine. Adding it to the growing list of delicious grapefruit cocktails I have found here!

Since I am not the biggest fan of sours, I took inspiration from this, removed the lemon, and made a version with 1 Old Forester, 1 grapefruit juice, 3/4 Nonino, 3/4 Combier. This was actually quite tasty, but I might workshop different amaros - based on comments below, I think Averna is next on the list.

Definitely an unexpected ingredient ingredient combination, but I'm afraid it just didn't work that well for me. I found this drink to be just OK. It's fine, nothing wrong with it, but also not something I would want to make again. I think the Strega and Rosso Vermouth together is what is throwing me off a bit. It may be worth revisiting with a Bianco Vermouth, or even Cocchi Americano.

Very solid combination with the right rye - as others have mentioned, it is very spirit forward. This is a good use case for your softer, lower ABV eyes, rather than a Rare Breed or Pikesville.

Really good Last Word variation. I used Plymouth gin and Luxardo Del Santo. The mastiha is definitely present, and contributes to the overall result without overwhelming.

I also used China-China in place if Picon, and I used a 3/2 ratio of Vya to Cocchi for the vermouth. It all worked really well. Perfectly balanced, with just the right level of spice. I might have to try some orange bitters next time.

Very good cocktail. I dropped the lemon to 1/2 Oz. The brandy combination works really well, and the Chartreuse adds just enough herbal complexities without overpowering the other ingredients.