Name: A Moment of Silence
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 5 ml Red bitter liqueur; 45 ml Rye whiskey 50% abv; 30 ml Apricot liqueur; 15 ml Amaro (e.g. Averna); 15 ml Aromatic bitters; 7.5 ml Applejack brandy

Ingredients

¹⁄₆ fl oz

Italian red bitter liqueur

1 ¹⁄₂ fl oz

Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)

1 fl oz

Luxardo Apricot Albicocca Liqueur

¹⁄₂ fl oz

Amaro (e.g. Averna)

¹⁄₂ fl oz

Angostura Aromatic Bitters

¹⁄₄ fl oz

Applejack brandy bottled-in-bond (50% alc./vol)

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.

Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

Method

RINSE chilled glass with red bitter liqueur ((swirl around to coat and discard excess) and set to one side.

STIR other ingredients with ice.

STRAIN into ice-filled, pre-rinsed glass.

Garnish

EXPRESS orange 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 A Moment of Silence contains 249 calories

Alcohol content:

2.7 standard drinks
31.87% alc./vol. (63.74° proof)
37.5 grams of pure alcohol

Review

With a whopping 15ml of bitters on top of 15ml amaro (Italian for bitter) and a punchy 45ml high-proof rye whiskey, this cocktail perhaps would have been better named Momentary Lapse of Reason after the Pink Floyd track. However, the rich apricot brandy rounds and mellows to make this cocktail surprisingly approachable, although still spirituous. Perhaps consider using the following measures to reduce the serve, and so the booze, by a third:
Rinse - 5ml Red bitter liqueur
30ml (1oz) Rye whiskey
20ml (2/3oz) Apricot brandy
10ml (1/3oz) Amaro Averna
10ml (1/3oz) Angostura bitters
5ml (1/6oz) Straight bottled-in-bond applejack

Comments & Discussion

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Jonathan Goldthorpe 1y

What a gorgeous drink. Those bitters with the apricot work so well together. I swapped calvados for applejack

Caspian Berggren Premium Member 1y

I can agree with the previous commenters that the drink is sweet in the beginning, although as the ice melts and it gets more diluted it gets more bitter. To me it's a very interesting cocktail that begins apricot heavy but gets more Angostura forward as time goes on. It's not something you drink in one go but rather sip over the course of an hour. Not sure if you'd notice replacing the applejack with the rye and leaving in the excess Campari though.

Erik Taylor Premium Member 46w

This was my impression as well. I prefer bitter leaning cocktails and I found myself enjoying it more as it diluted a bit from the ice melting.

MIKE LANDERS 1y

This is weird and delicious. I was surprised so many people said too sweet, although choice of bottles would certainly matter. I found it just a little sweet upfront but the lingering bitterness from all that Ango made it really interesting and more than balanced it out, in my opinion. Heavy baking spice and a fruity whiskey base makes it feel like a sipper for a winter fireside hangout.

Barbara Nombalais 2y

Good flavors but sweet.

John Hinojos Premium Member 3y

I was concerned with the amount of Angostura which was used. Quite nice as written, but did find it a bit sweet. Added 1/2 oz more of rye and it was perfect. The original is balanced, but the enhanced was great. Liked the burst of flavours and the spicy hints from the bitters. Overall an outstanding evening sipper or nightcap.

Bertrand Péraut 4y

Maybe a little heavy on the apricot brandy. 2/3 is enough for me. Plus I raise the whiskey to 2 shots. And then it's the real thing, in my opinion ;-)