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Intercontinental

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (45)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 fl oz Armagnac brandy
3⁄4 fl oz Amaro (e.g. Averna)
1⁄3 fl oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur

How to make

Glass

Photographed in a Bespoke Nick & Nora

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a NICK & NORA GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.

Method

  1. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Intercontinental contains 165 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.2 standard drinks
  • 27.37% alc./vol. (54.74° proof)
  • 17.1 grams of pure alcohol

History

Adapted from an originally equal parts cocktail created by Duggan McDonnell in San Francisco, USA.

Review

Bittersweet spirituous armagnac with nutty fruity maraschino.

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$1.88 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 33 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


Orders are processed by a licensed Fulproof retailer. The buy now button is added simply for convenience.

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* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

Simon Sedgley Premium Member
This has lovely balance. We imagine that the creator had in mind a gentle and elegant late night drink. Which it is. And perhaps one for the ladies, if that isn't an outrageously politically incorrect thing to say. In our experience, the ladies and the gentlemen do have different preferences. But we digress. To make it a gentleman's drink, a wee bit more assertive, we used Cognac and added just a gentlemanly dash of Bitter Truth aromatic bitters. We also thought that Averna was too stolid here and substituted Nardini Amaro for its bright but subtle notes. The great thing about recipes that fit in a Nick and Nora glass is that one can experiment with them of an evening, over an hour or so, without getting legless.
score: 1
Gareth Hives Premium Member
I do like to read your comments Simon, playing around with a drink or two over an evening is my idea of heaven as well. Do you live somewhere warm? I’m in England and get to sit out at the bar experimenting probably May-Sept absolute max. We had a few sunny evenings recently and are just getting into outdoor bar season ish now.
score: 1
Simon Sedgley Premium Member
Cheers Gareth. We are incorrigible tinkerers. Sometimes our experiments are catastrophes, occasionally triumphs but mostly somewhere in between. As novice amateurs, we defend ferociously our fiddling as an excellent way to learn. It's mid-autumn here downunder but still mild enough to sit out on the back deck of an evening under the Southern Cross enjoying an after dinner cocktail or two. You have your wonderfully long and lingering summer twilights to look forward to. Enjoy.
score: 2
Drew Pruett
I used Esperanza XO and the Santoni red amaro. Extraordinarily fine cocktail.
score: 0
jill andrews
This was beautifully balanced but a bit on the wee side. Will make it a double next time.
score: 1
Rik de Boer
Excellent. Used Averna and Luxardo Maraschino.
After tasting, topped up with an extra 10 ml of the Bas Armagnac I used, as Averna turned out to be quite an assertive component at the specified amount.
score: 1
Caspian Berggren Premium Member
I can't believe it was ever a balanced cocktail at even parts because even when the Maraschino is at 1cl it's certainly front and center. It is tamed, though, by the Averna and becomes a very pleasant late night sipper. The Armagnac is surprisingly subdued but provides a strong backbone for the other components.
score: 2
John CARR Premium Member
Having tried this a few tunes in different permutations, have reverted to Simon’s specs - although there were 20ml of Averna left in the bottle… Had been using a tenareze Armagnac which didn’t balance well here. A Bas Armagnac worked much better.
score: 1
John CARR Premium Member
Brilliant flavours, but way too strong on the Luxardo. Knocked it back to 5ml.
score: 1
Steven Kent
I really like the flavors: cola, almond, mint, citrus (the lemon peel is an absolute must). Echoing the other review, it's a little too cloying. I could up the brandy, but I'm worried that would throw the balance of flavors off. I'll either do that next time or try adding some bitters. But the combination of ingredients has potential.
score: 2
Steven Kent
Update: I tried this again with one dash of Fee Brothers black walnut bitters and it balances out the cocktail nicely without influencing the flavor all that much.
score: 2
John CARR Premium Member
Walnut bitters sounds like a great addition. Will have to retry when I get some.
score: 1
Jakub Piechowicz
I see potential here, but in this configuration it's definitely too sweet. So, more armagnac and less amaro and maraschino. Made with lauvia hors d'age, ramazzotti amaro, stock maraschino.
score: 1

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Difford’s Shop logo
$1.88 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 33 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


Orders are processed by a licensed Fulproof retailer. The buy now button is added simply for convenience.

Checkout

* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.