Deeply dry, bitter, woodsy
This powerful drink pairs well with salty blue cheese, like Point Reyes Original Blue.
Featuring one of the best uses of Fernet-Branca, this cocktail swings toward a Manhattan by using a digestif in place of vermouth. Simple syrup cuts the bitterness, and the added bitters leverage muscle. Popular in the 1940s, this dark vortex of a drink is a swell choice for closing out the show. A perfect after-dinner drink or nightcap.
2 ounces (60 ml) rye whiskey (Old Overholt)
¼ ounce (7 ml) Fernet-Branca
¼ ounce (7 ml) simple syrup (page 241)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Orange or tangerine twist, for garnish
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the orange twist on the rim of the glass.