You must be logged in to access this page

'Mad' about booze

Boy, these men like to drink.

Booze is as much a character on "Mad Men," AMC’s hit series about ’60s Madison Avenue ad execs, as the voluptuous Joan Holloway or the conniving Pete Campbell. In celebration of the recent season finale and star Jon Hamm’s "SNL" hosting gig, we’ve tracked down a spot to indulge in each character’s poison of choice.

Old Fashioned
Sterling Cooper’s creative director and golden boy Don Draper favors an Old Fashioned when he’s out squiring the many women in his life—his wife, his business acquaintances or the various ladies with whom he has seemingly meaningless sex.
What it is: Rye, bitters, sugar, soda, garnished with either an orange slice or maraschino cherry Where you can get it: Uptown’s favorite throwback, The Green Mill serves them up solid, and the club’s jazzy backdrop is the perfect setting to down one.
Alternate destination: Orbit Room

Scotch
Whether he’s fighting with his family or with his own impotence at the agency, whiny Pete Campbell is usually swilling a Scotch. (He favors J&B, a client of Sterling Cooper.)
What it is: Liquor distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, aged in oak casks for no less than three years and a day
Where you can get it: The Matchbox may look divey, and it may be small, but in that space fits a fantastic variety of single-malt Scotches.
Alternate destination: Delilah’s

Brandy Alexander
During the show’s first season, Peggy Olsen let her ponytailed hair down just long enough to have a bonafide cocktail. Now a copywriter after a short stint in the secretarial pool, Olsen may not drink the feminine Brandy Alexander any longer, but that doesn’t mean we’re not curious about them.
What it is: Cognac, dark crème de cacao, heavy cream
Where you can get it: Drown the family holiday tradition in a few of these sweet drinks while you’re at The Walnut Room at Macy’s this season. It may make the dealing with the ghost of Marshall Field a bit easier.
Alternate destination: Weegee’s Lounge

Tom Collins
The long-suffering and disturbingly evil Betty Draper typifies every wretched stereotype of the early ’60s housewife, including how she treats her children. So it’s not surprising we’ve seen her reach for an equally typical ’60s cocktail, the Tom Collins.
What it is: Gin, lemon juice and simple syrup, garnished with a cherry
Where you can get it: Palmer House’s new lounge, Potter’s could double as a set for the show, and it’s known for serving legendary cocktails, so you couldn’t ask for a better setup.
Alternate destination: The California Clipper

Campari
Oh, Salvatore Romano. Sterling Cooper’s closeted gay pays homage to his heritage by drinking Campari and breaking our hearts when he speaks to his mama in Italian.
What it is: A bitter orange aperitif infused with 60 ingredients
Where you can get it: Ravenswood’s authentic Neapolitan-style pizza spot Spacca Napoli
Alternate destination: The Violet Hour

 

Erin J. Shea is a metromix special contributor. metromix@tribune.com.

What other people are saying...

sandra from River West - October 24, 2008 at 1:31 AM

I also think that Duke of Perth makes a great Tom Collins. While it won't provide the ambiance of the show, you can't beat their bartender's old t...

More...

Report This Comment

Add a comment

Please log in to comment

RELATED LINKS

PHOTO GALLERY

Nightcrawlers

Nightcrawlers

Photos of who we've seen on the scene

More on Metromix.com

Ornament-bottom-yellow