Reviving Blacktail NYC: A Journey Back to 1933 Havana at Back Bar

The revival of Blacktail, the beloved sister-bar to The Dead Rabbit (World’s Best Bar, 2015) at Back Bar, stemmed from a connection between Will Pasternak, Head Bartender, and Chris Lauber, Senior Director of Operations for Laurent Tourondel Hospitality: Back Bar, L’Amico and Skirt Steak.

Despite the smaller space at Back Bar, the design and atmosphere of the original Blacktail were meticulously recreated with dark wood, plants, wicker chairs, and original artwork. Back Bar distinguishes itself with unique experiences, high-quality drinks, and collaborations. The “Visiting Luminary Series,” including Blacktail’s revival, features renowned bars and bartenders providing exclusive and diverse drinking experiences that attract cocktail enthusiasts and create a dynamic bar scene in NYC.

Blacktail transports guests back to 1933 Havana, which involves creating an “escapist” experience. “I think it comes down to a degree of escapism with our windowless room, the decor, high quality drinks inspired by what drinkers of the era would have been having, great music both from that era and more modern songs in that style, and a genuine showing of hospitality,” said Will. Chris commented further:

“The interior of our speakeasy space has a lot of character already, so we focused on infusing it with Havana. The signature Blacktail photography from Vern Evans which celebrate Cuba and was taken over many years, plays a big role in our redesign. We wanted to show all sides of Cuba in one room, from grit to colors and celebration. However, the cocktails do most of the talking in the end.”

The 24 Cuban-inspired cocktails featured were selected for their historical ties to Cuba, including the Daiquiri, Mojito, Hotel Nacional, Mary Pickford, and Rum & Cola. A forgotten classic, the Curacao Punch, is served as a Collins, and the Piña Colada, though not Cuban, has historical connections to Cuba. For the new cocktails created, such as the Melon Martinez, Señor Marco, and Cigar Old Fashioned, Will explains their natural evolution: “All three of these drinks had some basis in our bar program before we closed but have all improved due to ingredient availability, new technique applications, or just a better understanding of what makes a great cocktail with a few more years of experience under my belt. Melon Martinez started in my notes originally as “Fruit Martini.” I had the bones for a Rum Martinez on the menu and came across this great French Melon Aperitif from Aelred. It didn’t take long to put the pieces together.

Ford’s Gin + Melon worked so well together that’s what we settled on. The Señor Marco is a cocktail that has been amplified by different techniques to drive flavor. We created a Pineapple Rum utilizing a ‘Justino’ technique created by Dave Arnold back and featured in “Liquid Intelligence” involving blending dried fruit with an enzyme to break down the fruit. We then use a centrifuge to clarify it and use it in this cocktail. It brings a much more natural pineapple flavor to this drink and really sets it over the edge. For the Cigar Old Fashioned, the goal of this drink was to showcase the flavors of a Cuban cigar in cocktail form so to use that meant spicy, smokey, dry, fruity. When we first had the idea for the drink there weren’t any cost-effective Tobacco ingredients on the market. Thankfully, there have been some commercial options over the past few years. Cascara is the dried skin of the coffee cherry which smells raisin-y and brings notes of tobacco. The cascara also ties in Cuba’s coffee culture.”

Back Bar’s plans for Blacktail are to be determined. “We just came back from the first ever Montreal Cocktail Fest last week where we did a pop-up at El Pequeño Bar. We will likely do a few more this year as we raise awareness for Blacktail’s return. For the time being, we are enjoying ourselves at Back Bar inside Hotel Eventi.  We’re exploring all options as far as a potential reopening goes. Everything is on the table for us whether that be staying a bit longer, finding a new host, or opening a new standalone location.”