Honey, lemon, herbaceous, mint
Herbaceous with a subtle sweetness, this low-proof drink is a poetic aperitif or a brilliant accompaniment to a wide variety of foods—especially anything fried or spicy.
This light yet complex quaffer first appears in Hugo Ensslin’s self-published book, Recipes for Mixed Drinks, in 1916. While Ensslin’s book was a commercial failure, it was enormously influential, containing such recipes as the Aviation (page 65) and the Deshler (page 68). It was, in fact, the last cocktail book by a New York bartender to be published before Prohibition. The Chrysanthemum stands as one of the ultimate low-proof cocktails, with Benedictine providing oomph in conjunction with savory dry vermouth and a faint whisper of absinthe for complexity. The resulting drink is rich while remaining ethereal on the palate.
2 ounces (60 ml) dry vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 ounce (30 ml) Benedictine
1 shy teaspoon absinthe
Orange peel, for garnish
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. To garnish, twist the peel over the surface of the cocktail to express the oil. Then, run the peel around the rim of the glass and drop it into the drink.