The Chinese New Year is upon us, and it's time to get down Ox-style.  What does that mean?  We cornered Allan Katz, our favorite mixologist and Lush Life columnist to find out.

Lush Life: So, Allan, what are you drinking to celebrate the Chinese New Year?

Allan: We're serving the Petronas Cocktail at Fatty Crab uptown.  Might not sound Chinese, but it's definitely Asian.

LL:  What's in it?

[Allan starts wiggling his fingers and pulling ingredients from the back bar.]

Allan: The Petronas Cocktail

2.0 ounces Old Bardstown Bourbon (or similarly greezy 101-proof)
.5 ounce Charbay [fortified] Pomegranate Wine
.25 ounce Dry Vermouth
3 dashes Lemongrass-infused Angostura bitters 
[Stir]
And, garnish with a whiskey-cured cherry

LL: So, why is this your official cocktail of the Chinese New Year?

Allan: Because it's a Manhattan prepared for the Asian conquest of our country after the economic stimulus fails.

LL:  Haha, fair enough.  Do you have any other suggestions for the folks who might not have the time to steep their bitters in lemongrass?

Allan:  Let's hit up the Savoy. I know Dale's got an old recipe that ain't bad.

[Looking through Savoy Cocktail Book from behind the bar, Allan stops at The Chinese Cocktail, and shows me the recipe:

The Chinese Cocktail
1 dash Angostura bitters
3 dashes Maraschino Liqueur
3 dashes Curacao
1 ounce grenadine
2 ounces Jamaican rum
Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.]
 

Allan: That is disgusting. Let's do this instead.

[He starts pulling ingredients and juicing lemons.]

LL:  All right, we need a recipe. What's going in here?

Allan: Here is what I would do.

2.0 ounces Navy Rum
.5 ounce Pom
.5 ounce Meyer Lemon Juice
.25 ounce Marie Brizzard Curacao
.25 ounce Luxardo Maraschino
Dash Fee Bros Rhubarb Bitters
[Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.]

LL:  That does sound better.

Allan:  Just because it's old, doesn't fuckin' mean it's good.  An ounce of grenadine is nasty even if you're from Staten Island.

We couldn't agree with you more. 

Happy Year of the Ox to all of you out in cocktail land!