Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

Coastal Flavors Collide in This Old Fashioned Riff

The Citizen | Alys Beach, Fla.

Coastal Flavors Collide in This Old Fashioned Riff

The Citizen | Alys Beach, Fla.

By Mike Kostyo
July 17, 2024

By Mike Kostyo
July 17, 2024

Photo Credit: JAW

Landon Albright-Floyd

“You can’t be a bar in the South without making a good Old Fashioned,” says Landon Albright-Floyd, bartender at The Citizen, a modern seaside tavern. Indeed, with the Old Fashioned being one of the most well-represented cocktails on menus across the country, even variations, like the Oaxaca Old Fashioned and the smoked Old Fashioned, become modern classics. That innovation opened up an opportunity for Albright-Floyd to create a fresh interpretation: the Land Loch’d cocktail.

This play on coastal flavors starts with Glenmorangie X house-infused with pineapple, which is taken in a fruit-forward direction with Giffard banana liqueur and dry Curaçao, then strengthened with the complementary flavors of tropical overproof rum. “The single malt Scotch works well because it’s light enough not to overpower the drink and deter consumers unfamiliar with Scotch, but strong enough to maintain its integrity within the cocktail,” says Albright-Floyd. The drink also showcases his newfound love of combining two spirits that normally aren’t menued together, like Scotch and rum or gin and tequila, surprising customers with unusual pairings that he says “can lead to a greater appreciation for both.

Read more Best of Flavor 2024

About the Author

mmMike Kostyo is the VP of Menu Matters. Mike has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club” show; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For nearly 11 years, Mike was an associate director and trends expert at one of the industry's largest research firms. He has a master's in Gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. [email protected]

About The Author

Mike Kostyo

Mike Kostyo is the VP of Menu Matters. Mike has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club” show; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For nearly 11 years, Mike was an associate director and trends expert at one of the industry's largest research firms. He has a master's in Gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. [email protected]