Drink This Now: The Deadeye Diaz at Drastic Measures
The Deadye Diaz. // Photo by April Flemming.
Jill Cockson and Jay Sanders know their way around a cocktail; Cockson owns the downtown cocktail bar Swordfish Tom’s and Sanders spent a lot of formative time behind the well at the Rieger and Manifesto. So yes, of course the two make interesting and well-balanced drinks. But what makes their new cocktail bar, Drastic Measures, particularly important and special right now is the focus on hospitality and safety. Even before masking was required in Shawnee (not exactly where you’d imagine one of the metro’s most forward-thinking cocktail bars to be located), it was enforced at Drastic Measures except for when a customer is seated at their table. Requests for personal space are honored. This type of configuration is something Cockson has long preferred, but in the age of COVID it is, practically speaking, an industry-leading practice.
On to dranks! Sanders recommended that I try the Deadeye Diaz, a drink he has been working on for the new bar. Though its base spirit is mezcal, it manages to avoid being in-your-face smoky. Passionfruit juice and lime add bright and tart flavors, while Ancho Reyes chile liqueur adds heat. The drink is topped with house-made chile and cilantro oils. Another emphasis here is on garnishes that do not need to be touched with bare hands, which rules. It’s assertive but very drinkable, and spicy enough to feel it as the liquid moves down your throat. Sanders says it’s not quite perfect yet, but it’s pretty damn close.
Drastic Measures
5817 Nieman Road, Shawnee, KS
