Professional

• 1.5 oz. 100+ proof Bourbon
• 1 oz. Campari
• ½ oz. high-proof Jamaican rum (Smith & Cross or Doctor Bird recommended)
• ¼ oz cold water
• 3 drops Saline solution (4:1)
• Stir in ice, strain over ice into double old-fashioned glass 
• Garnish with grapefruit zest

Happy Friday, friends, as we edge into Fall.

This week’s cocktail is a riff I stumbled upon called the Professional. Built on a Negroni template, it leans bourbon-forward, making it more specifically a twist on the Boulevardier—a bourbon Negroni. As a fan of both bourbon and the Negroni template, I knew this one had promise.

True story: I once hosted a party where I batched eight different Negroni variations in advance. Because most Negronis are equal-parts recipes, they’re incredibly easy to scale for a crowd.

My first reaction to the Professional: Where did the Campari go? If you know Campari, you know it usually dominates any drink it’s a part of. In a classic Negroni, gin and vermouth tame it, but it still steals the spotlight. Here, though, Campari plays a supporting role–adding citrus decoration to a bourbon foundation–while Jamaican funk encompasses all parts of the palate like a tsunami crashing ashore. As Difford’s Guide puts it, “The Boulevardier goes nuclear.” And they’re not wrong.

This Professional is a flavor explosion, thanks in part to three drops of 25% saline solution. If you’ve never mixed with saline before, it’s simple to make in advance—but note that dilution standards vary. This recipe calls for 25%, while others might suggest 10% or 15%, so a little math may be required to adjust.

And while Campari doesn’t dominate here, its citrus notes get a boost from the grapefruit zest garnish. Early in my mixology journey I often skipped garnishes, assuming the liquid was enough. I was wrong. Since more than 75% of what we call “taste” comes from smell, those grapefruit oils on the surface and rim are what truly open the door to Campari’s contribution in this drink.

So much of what we learn about how to be in the world comes from our parents. My father tried to share many of his passions with me growing up. Fishing never took—I had no patience beyond the casting, and he wasn’t a fly fisherman. Motorsports ended badly when an early attempt at dirt-bike racing led to a crash I finally overcame decades later. Western films, too, mostly struck me as formulaic and stodgy (the same critique my daughter levels at my beloved Marvel movies). 

But then we watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and suddenly there was hope.

Paul Newman’s charm as Butch, paired with Robert Redford’s deadly serious Sundance, made for a buddy film unlike anything I’d seen: equal parts hijinks, wit, and poignancy–with a music video thrown in. Even as a kid, I knew I wanted more.

That film began my relationship with Robert Redford, who went on to star in, direct, or produce some of my favorites: All the President’s Men, Jeremiah Johnson, The Sting, The Natural, A River Runs Through It. Decades later, he surprised me again with a darker turn as Alexander Pierce in Captain America: The Winter Soldier; still one of my favorite Marvel entries, whether my daughter agrees or not.

But beyond his filmography, it was Redford’s professionalism off-screen that set him apart. His creative, environmental and preservationist philanthropy he pursued with dedication, consistency, and integrity–in short, legendary. 

• In 1981 he founded the Sundance Institute, which nurtured independent artists and helped launch careers for Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, and Kevin Smith. 
• For five decades he served as trustee for the Natural Resources Defense Council, using his influence to advocate for environmental protection and climate awareness. 
• With his son, he co-founded the Redford Center to support environmental filmmakers and storytellers. 
• And in Utah, he worked to preserve more than 1.7 million acres of wilderness from development.

Last week we lost Robert Redford at the age of 89. His life’s work, on screen and off, showed us all what it means to be a consummate Professional.

For that, we raise a glass. Rest in peace, Robert Redford.