"The inspiration for this drink came to me when I was watching 'Roadrunner,' the Anthony Bourdain biopic. In the movie, there’s a clip of his very first episode of his early travel show. While visiting Japan, Tony refers to himself as a 'lost and hungry ghost,' which set the stage for the rest of the drink. Each element was chosen to represent his legacy and career in a respectful way, as a sort of tribute cocktail. The base is blended Japanese whisky (a nod to where it all started) along with Laird’s apple brandy (both Bourdain and Laird’s are from New Jersey), with a touch of peaty Islay whisky (because he very publicly loved a good smoke). And the honey, herbal génépy liqueur and absinthe rinse all point to the French influence that Tony carried through his early days as a chef and in his later days, when he spent much of his time in France. This Sazerac riff definitely has the most convoluted story of anything I’ve created, but the end result comes together perfectly." —DA