Barrett's Mixology

By Nicholas P. Hawkins | Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Fallen Leaves

3/4 ounce calvados (apple brandy)
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
1/4 ounce dry vermouth
Dash brandy
Squeeze lemon peel

Stir with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon twist into drink, and use as garnish.

This little doozie I concocted one autumn evening when I was up from the vineyard. So tired of wine country I decided to turn away from the grapes that had served my family so well for generations. I was enjoying the rustic atmosphere provided so aptly by the New Hampshire wilderness; my first inclination was to fix myself a snifter of port to enhance the experience. However, being in a new area and the mood to try something fresh and adventurous, I chose to bypass the old staple and avail myself to the aging liquor cabinet kept mainly for ambiance. I must have mixed potions for nearly an hour before inspiration hit. The perfect rounding out of flavors that appears to further enhance the autumn atmosphere. The simple mix of both sweet and dry create an uncommon flavor. You can almost picture the leaves gently falling about you as you casually sip this cocktail. The ideal drink with which to end the day in the bucolic backdrop of New England as you look out the window at the fallen leaves.

Barrett's Mixology

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