I was so excited when I heard about this cocktail. I've been playing with Bénédictine recently, mostly tinkering with the proportions of the Vieux Carré, and the idea of combining this spicy and sweet liqueur with clean and aromatic gin, made me giddy.
This recipe comes directly from The PDT Cocktail Book by Jim Meehan. The only change I've made is in my choice of gin and garnish. Meehan suggests Beefeater gin and a twist of orange to garnish. I'm not a big Beefeater fan, and I simply adore Tanqueray No. Ten with anything citrus, so I made the swap. And the spicy sweetness of the Bénédictine plays so well with orange bitters, that I opt for a pretty orange slice floating on top as my garnish.
- 1.5 oz Tanqueray No. 10 gin
- 1.5 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
- .5 oz Bénédictine
- 1 dash orange bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a thin slice of orange.
What is amazing about this cocktail is that it has the clean sophistication of a classic dry gin Martini, but with a lovely spicy/sweet kick from the Bénédictine that turns the drink on its head. Just delicious.
Labels: Benedictine, Cocktails, Dry Vermouth, Gin
