Valentine’s Day merits a cocktail worthy of sharing with a sweetheart or dear friend. If you enjoy the deep undertones of an old fashioned or manhattan you’ll fall in love with this recipe which shares the same qualities, but, a fruity finish. Wishing you the sweetest day, friends.
Orasella, Poets and Sages
Serves 2
3 oz Bourbon or Rye
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz brown sugar sage syrup*
.5 oz tart cherry concentrate OR 1 oz cranberry juice concentrate
2 tsp Orasella cherry syrup
4 strong dashes Angostura or aromatic bitters
Shake all ingredients over ice then strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garish with an Orasella cherry and a sage leaf.
Brown Sugar Sage Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbsp thinly diced sage leaves
Add all ingredients into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and allow the sage to steep in the syrup for 10-15 minutes before straining out the leaves. Syrup makes enough for multiple cocktails.