two birds

2 oz Rye (Sazerac 6 Year)
3/4 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Dolin)
1/4 oz Creme de Cacao
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
On Friday after dinner, Andrea wanted to try Paul Clarke's new cocktail that he crafted for his entry in the Hotel Monteleone Cocktail Contest. The drink was perfect for the contest because the taste combination of rye and Peychaud's immediately screamed New Orleans to me when I sipped it. The Peychaud's complemented the light bitter notes of the Aperol on the swallow rather well. Andrea's comment was that the "aftertaste is spectacular -- rather chocolaty"; the quarter ounce of the creme de cacao was at a perfect level to add flavor but not dominate the drink. Paul's rationale for the cacao notes in the recipe was how well they pair up with orange flavors which appear here in the Aperol and in many sweet vermouths.