Recipe
- 1.5oz cask strength rye whiskey (Cali Riptide Rye)
- .75oz Zucca Amaro
- .75oz Cocchi Dopo Teatro vermouth amaro
Stir all ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass over a fresh cube. Add a lemon twist.
About
So bitter, warm, and delicious. Although this drink is inspired by the classic Boulevardier template, flavor-wise it is oh so different. Originally popularized in 1800s French literature, a “Boulevardier” is a name for the urban explorer, the curious citizen of the city seemingly wandering without aim, yet actually full of mindful observation.
On that note, since I’m using a few lesser-known ingredients, let’s satiate any curiosity with a run-down:
- Cali Riptide Rye: This cask-strength (59%) whiskey is absolutely wonderful for cocktails and delivers a firm peppery punch that definitely won’t get lost or overwhelmed by other flavors.
- Zucca Amaro: I don’t hear Zucca mentioned enough! It’s a deeply bitter Chinese rhubarb root-based amaro that is very unique and unlike any other amaro I have (note that Chinese rhubarb is different from the garden rhubarb we put in pies; it has a history of medicinal use). IMO it’s one of the most bitter and intense amaro I own, and one without any alpine or minty flavors common in other more intense amaro. This bottle is actually the “old” Zucca which is half the proof (16%) of the new one sold these days. If you have the new one, feel free to sub, but consider lowering the quantity to maybe just under half an ounce.
- Cocchi Dopo Teatro: I’d say this one is a variation of the original Cocchi Vermouth di Torino. It’s named for the northern Italian tradition of sipping on a glass of vermouth in the evening after a theatre show (dopo teatro = after theatre). It has a different botanical profile more focused on bittering ingredients, but overall in my opinion is still more-or-less a sweet vermouth similar enough to the original Cocchi vermouth.