Raising The Bar, One Drink at A Time

Classic cocktails with an air of elevation, and sophistication, can be found around town

From the extraordinary to the avant-garde, barkeeps across Newport have seriously upped their game. Here, you’ll find no shortage of elevated cocktails — that is, seriously sophisticated sippers consciously crafted with thoughtful ingredients. Whether rare or small batch spirits, in-house infusions, handmade syrups and mixers, exotic bitters, or gorgeous garnishes, local bartenders and beverage managers have curated a host of next-level curious concoctions and reimagined classics that shouldn’t be missed.

JO’S AMERICAN BISTRO
24 Memorial Boulevard West

“I love the classics. If you look at my menu, they’re mostly either a twist on a classic, or somehow I got an idea from a classic cocktail. They’re classic for a reason,” says the bartender, who has decades of experience.

Buonanno’s Fig Derby is a great example. A take on the classic century-old Brown Derby cocktail, named after the famed Hollywood restaurant, this version is made with Bulleit Bourbon, a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon known for a gentle spiciness that Buonanno infuses with fig in-house, Grand Marnier liqueur, sweet vermouth, and fresh lime juice before being served in a garnished rocks glass.

“It just adds a lot more depth and complexity to it with that fig in there,” explains Buonanno, who insists infused spirits taste demonstrably better when made in-house.

Another popular cocktail this time of year is the strawberry rhubarb martini she makes with strawberry- infused Tito’s Vodka, Giffard Rhubarb liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and a topper of La Marca prosecco. A seasonal celebration of flavor, the martini’s pink hue is elegant but playful, and offers a well-balanced, refreshing finish.

Then there’s “Say the Word,” a unique concoction made with Barr Hill Gin (a Vermont-made juniper- forward gin balanced with sweetness from raw honey), Green Chartreuse (a French herbal liqueur), Velvet Falernum (a rum-based liqueur made from an infusion of spices and Barbados rum), and fresh lime juice. It doesn’t just sound strong — it is. On the menu, the drink has an asterisk next to it, reminding patrons to drink responsibly. Though it packs a punch, the potent potable is a solid sipper, remarkably refreshing, and an elevated experience down to the last drop.

THE VANDERBILT
41 Mary Street

Two hundred years ago, The Macallan became one of the first distillers in Scotland to be legally licensed, and there may be no mansion hotel in Newport better suited for a collaboration with the storied brand than The Vanderbilt, built by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt in 1909.

Early this spring, the manse’s snooker room, a handsome space for guests to enjoy Britain’s take on American pool, took on a dual personality as The Reserve Room, an “interactive whisky haven” serving exclusive cocktails and pours of the storied whisky brand. Both guests staying at the property and non- guests alike can book whisky mixology classes and tasting experiences to enjoy a variety of rare selections of The Macallan’s single malt whiskies.

“It’s a wonderful extension of our dining room and our bar,” says Zachary Brisson, The Vanderbilt’s director of food and beverage. He calls the timing of the partnership “serendipitous.”

The Reserve Room also features a built-in clandestine library of various Macallan releases, but one may also experience the scotch whisky at the bar or in the dining room served neat, as a flight, or in a cocktail. “We have a Macallan mobile cart that we use that goes around the dining room for tableside martinis and tableside Old Fashioneds,” adds Brisson.

Typically a tequila cocktail, The Vanderbilt’s “Blood on the Tracks” (yes, the same name as the legendary 1975 Bob Dylan album) features The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old — a fully rounded single malt with flavors of fudge, citrus and soft spice — made with sweet vermouth and cherry liqueur. Somewhat tart with earthy notes, the drink offers depth and complexity with a prolonged, harmonious classic whisky finish.

THE BRENTON HOTEL
31 America’s Cup Avenue

When The Brenton Hotel debuted in the summer of 2020, it leaned in deeply to its perch overlooking Newport Harbor. The hotel’s Living Room is a coastal luxury-meets-Yankee-sensibility space with tables peppered amongst comfortable sofas and banquettes. It boasts swaths of crisp white and blues throughout punctuated by subtle nods to Newport’s nautical heritage — and a bar menu to match. Much of it can be credited to Bar Supervisor Maurice Taylor, who has an enviable reputation for his highly praised mixology mastery.

“The White Cap” is a toast to The Brenton’s environs. The sweet, tangy concoction is made with Tequila Ocho, amaretto, lime juice, and orgeat; a sweet syrup made from almonds and sugar and orange flower water. The egg white foam that floats atop the drink is meant to mirror small waves that crest in the harbor when the wind whips up. Garnished with pear slices and an artful dash of cinnamon, the drink was crafted to make one feel as if wading through the surf on a warm spring day.

THE QUENCHER
95 Long Wharf

The newest addition to the Newport dining scene, The Quencher on Long Wharf is a cocktail-forward spot with a rooftop deck and bar that takes advantage of its coveted waterfront address. The menu is heavy with Italian comfort food so it’s no surprise the robust drinks menu has an entire Negroni column. The Quencher has flipped the switch on the classic Italian cocktail, said to be created in Florence in 1919.

Instead of the expected equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari — the vibrant red Italian bitter — renditions of The Quencher Negronis include everything from straight rye whiskey to vodka and bourbon.

The most curious of the mix might be “The Oaxacan,” an interpretive Negroni with Granja Nómada Mezcal, Bruto Americano — a California-made Italianstyle aperitif that lends the drink it’s signature red hue like the original, Carpano Antica, a vermouth with vanilla notes, and Aztec Chocolate Bitters offering a chocolaty sweetness with a touch of cinnamon and spiciness that adds a hint of heat. Think: a marriage of
iconic Italian and Mexican spirits with its own Newport identity.

Scott Kirmil, who owns The Quencher with chef Joey Piotti, says the drink is a bit of a nod to Diego’s, his first restaurant in Newport; its success spawned locations in Middletown and Providence. “Because that’s where we’ve done that style of cocktails before, Mexican Negronis with a really cool mezcal and quality Italian liquors,” he says. “I’ve gotten to go to Oaxaca two or three times now, and I definitely love that region and trying to promote it as far as artisanal mezcals go.”

GARDINER HOUSE
24 Lee’s Wharf

Gardiner House quietly opened its doors last fall, giving the waterfront boutique hotel a chance to settle into its downtown locale at the tip of Lee’s Wharf. Locals Howard Cushing and Wirt Blaffer co-own the 21-room property, which feels like a “summer as a verb” coastal escape. One feels its exquisite-meets- whimsical aesthetic upon entry.

Visitors are welcomed by a two-story mural that is a masterful recreation of an original mural by Cushing’s great-grandfather, American artist Howard Gardiner Cushing. The original was painted at the turn of the century and remains in the front hall of his iconic family home, The Ledges, which was built on a breathtaking promontory off Ocean Drive in1867. (Note: Howard Gardiner Cushing’s original pieces are on display at the Newport Art Museum’s Cushing Memorial Gallery, which houses the largest collection of his works.)

The Gardiner House’s quiet opening didn’t last long as word spread about its Studio Bar, a warm, inviting and timelessly chic space with floor-to-ceiling emerald walls and playful artwork throughout. Considered the heartbeat of the hotel, the Studio Bar has a cocktail menu that means serious business. While selections change seasonally, one aptly named concoction, “The Gardiner,” is an elegant tribute to its surroundings. It’s made with vodka, lemon juice, prosecco, and “Rose Island Rose Hip Tea,” handcrafted by head bartender John Begin.

“I harvest the rose hips from the beach rose, or rugosa rose, on Rose Island,” says Begin, who also serves as Rose Island’s tour guide from spring through fall. “The roses are a useful but invasive species brought to our shores by Commodore Matthew Perry in the 1860s. The rose hip or berry has ten times the amount of vitamin C as a lime does and would be used to prevent scurvy during long sea voyages from the Orient.”

The stunningly garnished drink, served in a Collins glass, is a memorable refresher and could very easily become your warm weather go-to.

BAR AND BOARD BISTRO
282 Thames Street

From the day it opened in the fall of 2018, elevated cocktails have been front and center at Bar and Board, the Thames Street bistro housed inside a historic bank building dating back to about 1860. The marble bar on the first floor frames the original floor to ceiling vault, paying homage to the building’s past. Its cocktail menu straddles past and present.

Classics include a Lime Rickey, said to have been created in the 1880s at a saloon in Washington, D.C., an Irish coffee, a Cosmopolitan, and various martinis. Others take a creative twist under the vision of bar manager José Ramos (Editor’s note: Ramos was the bar manager at the time this story went print and was on newsstands in May/June; he has since left Bar and Board). The No Way Jose (now called Navigator 43) is his version of the classic Cuba Libre (meaning “Free Cuba”). The classic rum and Coke cocktail with lime juice has a complex, century-old history; Ramos’s take is made with cherry Coke and rum, topped with foam made of coconut cream and sugar cane white rum, and garnished with a cherry skewer. Bar and Board also makes its own coffee liqueur.

One of its most beautiful and interesting cocktails is “The Kombuchanist,” made with blueberry ginger kombucha (a fermented, effervescent, sweetened black tea drink that may shift with the seasons), gin and a dash of prosecco. “It’s a very popular drink. People love it,” says Ramos. It’s pink, cotton candy hue is a showstopper, and the champagne flute it’s served in makes a memorable impression. Ramos predicts it’ll be a favorite all summer long.