Plonk is back and I’ve got three very important words for you. They’re not, “I love you,” or “I’m sorry, baby,” or even “my ex sucks.” When combined, these might actually be the most beautiful three words in the English language: chocolate covered olives–or Cholives, as per Copper Spoon’s social media description of their newest cocktails. From the weird and wonderful mind of Ryan Wahl, bartender extraordinaire and olive lover, come two new olive-centric cocktails. The dirtiest martini on planet earth walked so that Ryan’s cocktail creations could run. Your ex-boyfriend who pretends he’s a knowledgeable mixologist but relies heavily on ChatGPT for advice could neverrrr.
I made my bestie drink the Green Lagoon; and he adored it. It’s got acidified apple, coconut, green olive, catchaca, aquavit, and Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch. Typically, I’m not a girl who likes scotch and a fruity drink could pass me by and I wouldn’t shed a tear. Did I steal a sip or three from my bestie? Hell yes I did. I would say even if Scotch isn’t your go-to bevvy of choice, this might still be a solid pick for you. All of the fruity flavors (olive is a fruit, technically) amplify the Scotch’s inherent fruity notes; like orange zest. This is an easy sip and could please adventurous or filthy fucking casual sippers alike.
As for me, I have a new love: the Shadow Mountain. Ryan spends basically all of his time smoking green olives and dipping them in chocolate for this cocktail. A good use of his time? I say, emphatically: yes. The Shadow Mountain is a combo of Zucca Rabarbaro, Balcones Rye and Pikesville Rye, umami and chocolate bitters, smoked green olive, and then finished with a chocolate covered smoked green olive. You might be a little icked out by the idea of olives and chocolate. Trust: I was also kind of blown away by the pairing. But, let’s get real, olives are technically fruit. Fruit and chocolate isn’t weird at all. Salty and sweet isn’t weird at all. And, according to Ryan, Copper Spoon used to have some sort of dish that involved olives and cacao nibs on the menu–so this isn’t even the first time that this unique flavor pairing has appeared within the walls of Copper Spoon. The chocolate notes in this drink are insanely decadent without the drink ever really tasting “sweet.” If anyone wants to take me out for one of these drinks, I don’t really care who you are as long as you’re buying. It’s sooooo good.
I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention my second drink of the evening even though it didn’t have a single olive in it. We’ve certainly all got an ex-boyfriend who insists that he’s nice–which somehow always stands as proof that he is not, in fact, nice. For these situations, you need a little drink called Gaslight Me. (Because your ex was good at that, right?) A mix of Tequila, Boozy Banana ice cream, Cinnamon, Pathfinder, and Averna: this cocktail comes with the ‘fajita effect,’ if you know what I mean. I ordered one: then saw at least two more come out. The people next to me asked me about what I had ordered. Why the attention? Well, for starters, it comes out in a smoking cloche, so…drama! But, perhaps even more importantly, it doesn’t look like a cocktail. It looks like a tiny, elegant ice cream sundae. I ate the whole thing with a spoon. But damn…the flavors. The texture. The theatrics. Whoever is buying me my next Shadow Mountain might have to spring for a Gaslight Me, too–because I think I might love them both equally.
Now tell me you missed me.
Plonk & Pleasure 
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