# Soda Fountain Cocktail Revivals Tavern Next Door's Conor Johns Crafted a New White Russian By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-09-22 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soda-fountain-cocktail-revivals References: [punchdrink](https://punchdrink.com/articles/white-russian-tavern-next-door-cocktail-recipe)  Tavern Next Door's 'White Russian' was a reimagining of the disco-era cocktail by head bartender Conor Johns, served Old Fashioned-style with a soda-fountain-inspired twist. The drink was finished with a housemade [vanilla malted whipped cream](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coffee-cream) that evoked a malted milkshake and rested atop the spirit base. Johns composed the mix from half-ounce measures of mezcal, Demerara rum, Braulio amaro, and both vanilla and [coffee liqueurs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coffee-cocktails), plus a few dashes of Angostura bitters, then batched the blend and kept it chilled and ready. The mezcal was Los Siete Misterios "Doba-Yej" Espadín, and the rum was El Dorado 3-year, with the coffee element favoring Forthave Brown over Kahlúa. The result read like a grown-up milkshake with layered smoke, sugarcane bridge, and rustic herbal notes, then a soft malted-cream cap. It invited nostalgic tasting with a contemporary, stirred-cocktail feel and [paired with the venue's burger](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/burger-infused-cocktail) for a burger-and-milkshake-style finish. Image Credit: Justin Sisson ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 7.3/10 - Popularity: 58% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 92% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Soda Fountain Cocktails:** Classic fountain-shop flavors are being reframed as premium bar experiences, creating space for nostalgic formats with elevated spirits, housemade creams, and theatrical finishes. - **Dessert-style Mixology:** Milkshake-inspired textures, whipped toppings, and sweet-savory pairings are expanding cocktail menus into indulgent after-dinner and food-pairing occasions. - **Batched Craft Drinks:** Pre-chilled, pre-batched cocktail builds are supporting faster service while preserving complexity, consistency, and bartender-driven ingredient storytelling. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Cocktail Bars:** Independent bars are differentiating through hybrid drinks that merge retro comfort cues with modern spirits, bitters, and artisanal liqueurs. - **Casual Dining:** Burger-focused venues and taverns are gaining new pairing potential from cocktails that echo familiar diner combinations like burgers and milkshakes. - **Premium Spirits:** Mezcal, rum, amaro, and specialty liqueur producers can benefit from cocktails that showcase layered flavor roles beyond traditional category serves. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Fast Casual Cocktail Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/refreshed-cocktail-menu.md) - [Smoky Canned Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wee-smoky.md) - [Western-Style Coffee Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-cowgirl-coffee.md) - [Creme Liqueur Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tavern-series-creme-collection.md) - [Self-Mixing Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alchemist-infinity-vortex.md) - [Throwback Cocktail Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2010-revival-menu.md) - [Cocktail-Inspired Ice Creams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lost-borough-ice-cream.md) - [Cocktail Menu Variants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/orion-cocktail-list.md) - [Boozy Blended Dessert Collabs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/serendipity-3-x-buzzbar.md)