CJ Grant

I didn't have any walnut liqueur, but went with a mix of cognac and walnut bitters. I should've added some sweet notes to get into liqueur range, and it's on me that the version was too bitter. So I did what I suggested, but the walnut had sort of taken over.

However, it was better and I can see this combination of ingredients, in near proportions to what is listed as making a nice, deep, cocktail. Oddly, the Cherry Herring could use a little boost in my bastardized version, but probably shows up better in a properly made version.

I feared my Allspice Dram had sat a little too long, so I was looking for cocktails to make, and this popped up. The spice in the Angustora dominates, as expected, but the dram fills in late, in a very pleasing way. My lemon wasn't the best, so I was a bit scant on it, and paralleled that with the grenadine. But I can imagine how a little more tart/sweet could make this even better.

Quite herbal beyond the sweetness, which I do think is at least somewhat necessary, but can see the debate between how much. The bitter grassy gentian liqueur needs a counter, but I can't tell with one try if the yellow chartreuse brings enough on its own. Might need to experiment.

So I tried making this without the simple syrup and it does seem a bit of a different experience than the one the other day. The herbal notes are more pronounced and the components are in nice balance. I added just a couple drops of simple and the Chartreuse came forward. Interesting.

In the end, I have my preference leaning towards having this a bit less sweet than the recipe calls for.

Quite herbal beyond the sweetness, which I do think is at least somewhat necessary, but can see the debate between how much. The bitter grassy gentian liqueur needs a counter, but I can't tell with one try if the yellow chartreuse brings enough on its own. Might need to experiment.

I had to try this after reading the comments on the cocktail that inspired it. I went with standard strengths for this one - Rittenhouse, Still Autsin, and a blanco Mezcal and this is a more balanced, a bit sweeter, and ever so slightly smoky version of the Purgatory cocktail.

I think it is more approachable, and has very tame spice and a bit of herbal that leans into the Mezcal. I sorta miss the spice but like the Mezcal addition. Maybe the cask-strength rye I used for the original or split rye and Mezcal, skipping the bourbon would be something I could explore for my own preferences.

I have found myself going a little more "wet" with my martinis, sometimes including a splash of Cocchi Americano. Overall, I tend to agree with the claim that those who have an aversion to larger proportions of vermouth might be those who don't realize it needs to be fairly fresh (and refrigerated to help with that). That said, I am pretty much in the 4:1 to 5:1 ratio most of the time.

Also, I have experimented with different bitters - grapefruit and celery being my current favorites to use.

I have found myself going a little more "wet" with my martinis, sometimes including a splash of Cocchi Americano. Overall, I tend to agree with the claim that those who have an aversion to larger proportions of vermouth might be those who don't realize it needs to be fairly fresh (and refrigerated to help with that). That said, I am pretty much in the 4:1 to 5:1 ratio most of the time.

I knew I would like this given the ingredients. I actually went with a spicy cask-strength local rye and the overall spiciness of the cocktail took center stage with the herbal notes playing at the edges and in the finish. Even with that, I got the impression the saline addition did round out the feel more than I expected.

It's not the prettiest of things, but pretty tasty. I like how the apple brandy an lemon interact with the herbal spicy aspects, but agree with other comments that the lemon could be cut back a little and be a little less assertive.

I was a tad bit surprised, but the Chartreuse seemed a little lost in the mix, or was playing a much more secondary role than I am used to it playing. The lemon came through more than expected. For my tastes, I think a little more Chartreuse could solve both of my problems.

Refreshing drink. For me the lime can be 5 ml less, decent cocktail though

Agreed - definitely a refreshing drink that maybe could have a little less sour. The gin, even at 2oz isn't carrying its weight, it seems to me. But it is very enjoyable and works quite well as a spring or summer on the deck beverage.

Reading some recent comments, I think I tend to agree - the absinthe is not bringing enough to counter the sweeter notes in this and it needs some form of spice and/or bitters in the mix.

I used my "bitters ketchup" of a dash of black walnut variety and it worked pretty well for me.

Reading some recent comments, I think I tend to agree - the absinthe is not bringing enough to counter the sweeter notes in this and it needs some form of spice and/or bitters in the mix.

A crowd-pleasing balance to this. I want to say it runs a little sweet, but it is more that I think I would prefer a little more tart and/or bitter. I might fiddle with a little more lime and citrus bitters for my own taste, but this is a good recipe.

Made it with rye whiskey by Bob Dylan’s Heavens Door, amaretto (I didn’t have hazelnut liqueur) and a local brewery smoked porter (Allmouth by Pontus) it is a very nice cocktail.

I, too, used amaretto - a local distillery produce, and though it a very nice cocktail. I was a tad surprised by it, but I have made it a few times now and it somehow works.

The Irish provides a vanilla edge to the vermouth and Chartreuse sweetness, which basically describes the cocktail overall. But it’s a nuanced sweetness more than cloying, and I went 3:2:1 on the ratio (w/Powers John’s Lane).

Initially I gutted the vermouth more, but as I sipped, Chartreuse herbal spice up front and dark fruit vermouth in back.

I did a 2:1 Dolin dry : Cocchi Americano to emulate a blaanc vermouth (however inaccurate), with Powers John's Lane. The lemon twist brings this together in a way I haven't noted since a Sazerac. Light, somewhat fruity (lemon plus fortified wine) and a step on the sweeter side of balanced, but quite enjoyable.

Much like a Sazerac cocktail, I feel I nice twist of lemon is key. Funny how a small thing can bump a fine beverage up a whole notch.

I am closer in line with the previous comment in my making. I do make my own version pomegranate syrup that I use as the grenadine (close to an Anders recipe).

I find a bit more citrus and sweetness works for me, and I use Cocchi Americano at least in part for the dry vermouth component and Fee's orange bitters. But I have made it closer to this and liquor.com specs, and it still works very well. Have not tried the saline addition from this recipe, though.

Went with the (sorry) liquor.com recipe which *mostly* just differs by using a 1/4 ounce more orange liqueur. It is really good, with the key (as with many cocktails) seems to be finding the balance of orgeat (sweet) and tart (lime).

I tried the Kappler OG (shaken) and a slightly adjusted version of the recipe here where I only did 1/4oz of Yellow Chartreuse (stirred). The OG was even sweeter than I expected it to be, but the more modern version was nice. I skipped the Meehan version, as I figured it seems as if it would be a bit unbalanced. Maybe I'll try it at some point to confirm.

This ran just a little on the tart side for me. I think a little more Luxardo and/or absinthe, or perhaps some simple, though no more than a bar spoon, would tweak this into balance for me.

I went with a half ounce of brandy (a local pear brandy that is not heavy on the pear) and orange bitters. I like that the brandy brings a little nuance and pairs with the Benedictine well. I am usually wary of a bourbon cocktail, especially when I am using a shelf bourbon, as it can tend to get lost, but it provides a nice, lightly smoky sweet base here.