San Antonio barman Don Marsh’s much anticipated Rock and Rye opened earlier this year, and is already living up to the lofty standards he set in his highly regarded Bar 1919.

With almost a thousand unique bottles of booze to work with behind the bar, Marsh’s barman James Moreno went to work, indeed.

A San Antonio native, and bar veteran of a handful of years, James’ affinity for fernet found its way in his Rakia You Like A Hurricane.

The barman combined a few ingredients that always play well together: cinnamon and fernet; orange and cream (or half and half) with Kinsman, and the Rakia You Like A Hurricane is more than just a clever name.

This less creamy than other cocktails on the tour is perfectly balanced combination of fernet, cinnamon, orange, and chocolate to stay on your mind until well after your last sip.

While James makes genuine bar banter look easy, it was our shared affinity for Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale that’s practically made us besties forever.

So on your Northwest leg of the Brandy Alexander Tour, be sure to spend some time getting to know James and his barkeeps at Rock and Rye. Parking is generally abundant, and the cocktails and banter are worth the drive.