Best things I drank in February: Featuring figs, gold and clarification

Two old fashioneds and a "Golden Hour" kept me feeling frisky with my whiskey.

Mar 13, 2025

There was a brief moment last week when I almost made my wife and I a Mezcal Negroni — it felt like a good idea. Then I chastised myself and pushed to make something a bit different. I perused my shelves of spirits, grabbed some bottles and took to the internet to find something to make with what I had.

I’m glad I did, and the degree of difficulty is lower than beating a 3-year-old in Madden. (Y’all send tips and tricks to my son ASAP.)

While The Boy figures it out, here are some of the best cocktails I consumed during February, including exploring two fabulous restaurants here in Houston that are doing excellent things with their cocktail program. Also, here are a few bottles I cracked as well.

Clarified Old Fashioned | Late August in Houston, Texas

The process of clarifying a cocktail is a bit arduous and time-consuming. It involves a process known as milk-washing, which adds cold milk to the cocktail, letting it sit, and then straining it. The net result is a cocktail that's been clarified to improve its taste and texture.

At Late August, managed by Chef and Restauranteur Chris Williams, I was afforded a chance to attend a mixer with approximately 100 successful men of color in the city. As such, making rounds of cocktails is also…arduous. The bar took the liberty to batch these cocktails, and it’s a genius move. The drink was light, with fresh ingredients used and aromatics included. I would drink 4 to 5 of those if I didn’t need to get myself home safely.

Golden Hour | My residence

I’m a sucker for easy-to-make cocktails that feel elevated. I’m even more a sucker for drinks that only need a few ingredients.

I found this drink on Difford’s, and it mentions that this drink is an Apertivo, meaning that it's best served before a meal. However, it’s my house, and I do what I want. Because it’s delicious. Here’s how you make it:

1 oz Bourbon
0.75 oz Aperol
0.75 oz Lillet Blanc
Optional: Grapefruit zest
To make: Pre-chill an old fashioned glass and add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Stir and strain over a large block of ice. Express grapefruit and dress with zest. Enjoy.

Fig Old Fashioned | Doris Metropolitan in Houston, Texas

I met up with an old co-worker visiting in from New Orleans to catch up on old times, share pictures of our kids and trade insults about one another. Insults are the love language of men, and breaking bread amongst one other with cocktails and ribeye steaks is the best way to exchange.

I ordered the Fig Old Fashioned at Doris, as I was excited by the ingredients and made my choice quickly. It was too quick, perhaps, because I didn’t even notice the $38 (!!!) price tag associated with it. It was a one-time order, but it’s easy to understand why the dollar amount: Macallan 12 Year Sherry Cask is paired with a Fig Liqueur (my guess is they use Black Fig) and bitters. Buttery, earthy and potent, it was an enjoyable co-pilot to an overdue catch-up with a friend.

Bottles cracked in February

Here are bottles that were unopened at the start of the month and were cracked by the end of it. Some I’ve had before, others are a first-time sip. Bottles in bold are favorites.