What are the modern classics in the cocktail world? Find out on this week’s episode of The Speakeasy. Damon Boelte is joined by friend of the show and previous guest Robert Simonson, who has just released a new cocktail app called Modern Classics of the Cocktail Renaissance. Modern Classics is the first independent, critical assessment of the original drinks of these recent decades, compiled by New York Times drinks writer, journalist and author Robert Simonson. This brutally honest collection identifies, justifies and presents the authoritative, verified and properly attributed recipes in four categories: the modern classics, the objectively popular drinks that might yet achieve that status, certain drinks identified as critical favorites worthy of more attention, plus a collection of foundational recipes from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s that helped set the stage for today’s cocktail renaissance.

“Part of the reason I hang out at Long Island bar is that Toby Cecchini and Phil Ward regularly bartend there and I can ask them directly for the drinks they invented.” [15:00] — Robert Simonson on The Speakeasy