Meet the Collective | Nick Amano Dolan

In our efforts to explore the unknown possibilities in whiskey, we’re taking a closer look at cocktails, an classic avenue for enjoying fine distilled spirits. Together with some of the industry’s most revered bartenders, Westland gathered the Cocktail Collective. The goal remains simple: explore new flavors in cocktails using Westland Whiskey as the main avenue.

We look for inspiration within the shining food and drink city, San Francisco. Nick Amano Dolan serves as the beverage director for Bon Vivants, the group which owns and operates the highly acclaimed and praised Trick Dog Bar. Known for its unique drink menus and elaborate concepts with each drink launch, Trick Dog Bar holds numerous accolades, including James Beard awards and World’s Best Cocktail Menu in the World at Tales of the Cocktail.

Nick Amano Dolan worked his first job as a teenager at a sandwich shop, and since then has always kept a foot in the door of the hospitality world. In his young adult years, he pursued a career as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, but quickly realized his true passion was serving people, not fighting them. He spent years behind the bar in different hospitality establishments learning the ins and outs of how to be an excellent bartender, and ten years into bartending, he now oversees one of the most impressive drink programs in the country.

What makes Nick’s approach to cocktails memorable is his own point of view and life experiences which inform his recipe creation. When we sat down with Nick to talk about the inspiration behind his drink recipes, he told us, “What’s unique about my approach to cocktails is I really try to have a sense of self and identity through each one of them.” Each drink tells a story of a time and place, weaving distinct flavors together to form a narrative between each sip.

We asked for Nick to develop his own cocktail recipe with Westland Whiskey, and his answer to this prompt is the Silver Charm. This drink takes its inspiration from the Mint Julep, but infuses the beloved whiskey classic with mountains of additional flavor. Nick adds raspberry, white chocolate, and “the star of the show...Westland Whiskey.” Amano Dolan mastered this drink with multiple complex infusions, and the resulting cocktail stands as a memorable take on a classic cocktail. Nick Amano Dolan’s Silver Charm shows itself with tart and fresh qualities, paired with the silky chocolate undertones of Westland Whiskey.

After exploring the layers of this cocktail, we spoke with Nick about his takeaways. Nick shared that he enjoys simple drinks when working with “beautiful whiskey." He told us “When you have a good spirit like Westland Whiskey, you wanna make sure you let the spirit shine.... Westland does all of the heavy lifting.”

So, we mark this as another step forward in our cocktail exploration, in an effort to uncover new flavors in whiskey together with our revered friends leading the bar and beverage industry. Follow Trick Dog @trickdogbar to stay up to date on exclusive events, drink features, and collaborations that continue to push forward the possibilities in whiskey.