New Seasonal Cocktail Menu At Trio’s Comforts With Fireside Warmth

Technically, if you consult the calendar – it’s winter – regardless of the fickle Arkansas weather. And, winter is only made better by cozying up to the fire with a delectable cocktail in hand.
If you’re looking for the comforts of the hearth in your drinks you have to check out the latest from go-to cocktail creator of Trio’s Restaurant, Merrick Fagan.
Fans will be glad to see the return of the Fireside Lullaby, a brandy cocktail boasting of Fagan’s in-house “Hearth-thaw” liqueur, cranberry, and a Lagavulin 16 rinse. The barman doesn’t stop there, however, as guests will be delighted to find their drinks containing snippets of poetry.
Fagan describes the flavor profiles as containing “a nice fireplace note on the nose,” which only complements the included poetry.
Pro tip: Ask Fagan to recite the whole of Scottish poet James Gray’s “To A Captive Lark” for you as you sip on the warming, balanced cocktail.
If you’re wanting to transport yourself to more summery times with a fruit-filled drink, opt for the Ching Shih. Named for history’s lady pirate of the South China seas, this drink is tropical and lively like Ching Shih must have been, as Fagan explains, “She had about 180,000 people under her control at one point and managed to successfully fend off various navies.”

A combination of of Kai Lychee Vodka, passion fruit, pineapple, and an in-house Chinese 5-spice and green tea syrup, this drink can be dangerous. It’s refreshing, fruity, yet evened out by the green tea syrup.
Fagan says, “I wanted a little bit of bitterness and complexity and Ching Shih was Chinese, so Green Tea and Chinese 5-spice seemed like the way to go.”
Pro tip: don’t miss the lime and orange peel float that strongly resembles a ship.
For those wanting to try out a more tart cocktail, opt for the Pom-Pomme. Fagan explains, “I wanted to make a cocktail that was fruity, but also a little more tart than sweet.”
The combination of the LeCompte Calvados, Stirrings Pomegranate, and lime is tempered with a sugared rim, producing one balanced, tart, fruit cocktail that is dry in all the right ways.
Pro tip: One is not enough.
The above descriptions only skim the surface of the new menu, meaning it’s time for you to make a trip to Trio’s to see Fagan and maybe have dinner while you’re at it.
Peruse the full menu here, and get ready to warm up your taste buds – whether the weather is cooperating or not.