Cocktails, Anyone?

Pine, the Hanover Inn’s new restaurant, has a tempting cocktail list to complement the food menu created by celebrity chef Michael Schlow. Bartender James Ives, who loves to create new drinks, has so far developed six unusual concoctions just for Pine. Among his offerings: “Accidental City,” which combines rye whiskey and Armagnac with Benedictine, bitters and real absinthe, was inspired by the New Orleans Sazerac and that city’s historic drinking culture; “Smoke & Flowers,” a complex margarita-type drink that combines agave tequila with mescal, lavender agave and fresh lime and is served with smoked salt on the glass rim (it was a clear favorite among an informal tasting panel put together by DAM); and “Troubles Halfway,” which is a whiskey sour with bourbon, fresh lemon, and strawberry and black pepper-infused Campari. Ives, who says his goal is to “make people happy one drink at a time,” is a veteran mixologist who delights in studying the history of cocktails and finds his greatest joy in offering something unique “from my own hand.” His recipes have won honors at competitions, and his deep knowledge of spirits makes for scintillating bar banter. He finds inspiration for his creations by starting with a flavor combination or a classic he’d like to reinterpret or even a season of the year. Expect Ives to add to his Pine lineup. “There’s enthusiasm here for cocktails beyond what I could have imagined,” he says.

The drink menu came to Ives in a “creative burst.”