William S. Burroughs
Check back each week as we challenge a new St.Louis bartender extraordinaire to come up with a drink that fits our monthly Thirsty Thursday theme. They’re pulling out all the stops, armed with their most inventive tricks, fresh-squeezed juices, superior liquors and house-made infusions. Their creations are sure to keep your taste buds guessing.
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The Bartender:
Haley Riley
The Bar:
Nico 6525 Delmar Blvd, The Loop
The Challenge:
Satisfy our craving for indulgence with a guilty pleasure-inspired cocktail.
The Drink:
William S. Burroughs
1 ½ oz rye whiskey
¾ oz sweet vermouth
¾ oz Benedictine
3 dashes Peychaud Bitters
1 dash Absinthe
If you’re tired of the health-inspired pomegranate and green tea-infused beverages of the past month, prepare yourself for a sharp departure from antioxidants and home grown mint leaves to a new territory of rich, hearty, indulgences to try. After a month undergoing the drinker’s equivalent of an herbal cleanse, we’re cringing at the thought of calorie-cutting and fat free frozen yogurt—sometimes you just need some cake! So, we’re giving up our will power for the sake of the tasty treats we’ll have lined up for you this month, and we urge you to do the same. Start by ditching the vodka soda and giving your taste buds what they want with one of this month’s creative specialties. We promise a barrage of decadent, delicious, chocolate cake of cocktails coming your way.
Haley Riley
Kicking off our inaugural guilty pleasure drink is Nico’s Haley Riley, who whips up a hearty whiskey-based, Absinthe-tinged delicacy—just the indulgent antidote to the slew of light, fresh cocktails from last month’s health kick. While rich and hearty, yes, the careful mixing of just the right ingredients in just the right amounts predicts a taste that has a poetic feel, much like William S. Burroughs himself—a St. Louis native and celebrated writer. “It’s kind of like a Sazerac, or an Old Fashioned because of the sweet vermouth we use,” Haley says. He pours the amber concoction into an elegant stemmed glass, and we gaze outside to the glorious St. Louis day on The Loop in the spring sunshine. Someone pinch us!
What’s your favorite drink?
Just a scotch neat, or Guinness.
What’s the weirdest request you’ve gotten?
I just recently moved from the kitchen to the bar, so no one has asked anything too crazy yet. The closest thing to that so far is when someone asks what we have on tap when the menu is right in front of them.
Someone orders ________ and you automatically know they have no idea what they’re talking about.
When someone asks for just a martini. I need to know what kind of gin or vodka, up or on the rocks, with olives or a twist… things like that.
