Jack Araque, St. Regis Bar, Miami

Which classic cocktail is the most underrated?
The boulevardier.  It’s my favorite underrated cocktail  composed of whiskey sweet vermouth and Campari.  Its creation is ascribed to Erskine Gwynne, an American-born writer who founded a monthly magazine in Paris called Boulevardier, which appeared from 1927 to 1932 It is a Whiskey version of a negroni.  Also the Corps Reviver #2 and the Last Word are good cocktails that had been forgotten and are trying to find their way back to today’s bar scene.

What kind of flavors inspire you most?
Flavor wise, I find citrus and bitters inspiring because they help me adding flavor and balance when creating or mixing a cocktail recipe.  They have the ability to help or destroy a bartender’s reputation.

Choose a drink to match with pork – and why?
My drink of preference to pair with pork is The Old Fashion.  The small amount of citrus (If prepared with orange zest ) cuts throughout the richest sauces and the whiskey flavor is accentuated with the rich pork texture.