The Story Behind The Nor’easter
Bill Harden never expected to fall in love with Lexington, Va. When he and his wife Jessica, both NYC-based bartenders, decided to escape the Big Apple for a Southern city, the plan had been to stay in Lexington only a few months. Years later, Bill and Jessica remain enamored of the small-town charm of their Southern home — and they’ve brought their cocktail-making skills along for the ride.
Now the manager and bartender at TAPS at The Georges, Bill says that he and Jessica often collaborate on the historic inn’s drink menu. The Nor’easter, one of the newest additions to the seasonal menu, features a mix of bourbon, apple brandy, maple syrup, Ancho Reyes, and citrus.
Bill enjoys using Ancho Reyes liqueur in cocktails, saying it offers a “hint of sweetness, a hint of spice, and it’s just fun to play with.” Made with dried, matured poblano chiles, he combines Ancho Reyes with another one of his go-to ingredients, maple syrup, making the Nor’easter the perfect storm of smoky and sweet.
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