If you enjoy a martini and you are at least okay with dry sherry, you’ll enjoy this as a nice change of pace. Dry and nutty with orange in the fore and absinthe playing a supporting role in the background.

I recommend 2 drops of saline instead of 3. Just slightly too salty at 3.

Fords gin, Los Arcos amontillado, La clandestine absinthe, Dolin dry, Ferrand Orange curaçao.

This stands and wobbles between a 4.0 and 4.5 in score. It's 100% a capable Martini variation (created in the 70s no less!) but I'm just not that in to Martinis... If I were it would absolutely be a 4.5. The Amontillado, dry Vermouth and Curacao plays wonderfully, whereas the gin provides some backbone and the salt keeps it in the realm of savoury rather than sweet. Not sure about the absinthe though. Maybe it elevates the Curacao? Anyway it's worth checking out if you would like a Martini variation with Amontillado in it.

A well balanced and delicious cocktail for 3.30pm. I don't know what it would be like at 4.00pm...it was gone!