octogenarian

3/4 oz jigger Sherry (2 1/4 oz Lustau Amontillado)
1/4 jigger Sweet Vermouth (3/4 oz Cocchi)
1 dash Curaçao (1/4 oz Copper & Kings)
1 dash Absinthe (1 scant bsp Butterfly)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
After my work shift two Sundays ago, I wanted to treat myself to a drink despite it being at such a late hour. Therefore, I opted for a low ABV recipe from the fortified wine-based section of Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 called the Octogenarian. Perhaps sherry had a bad rap even back then as being an old lady's drink as Derek Brown once spoke about. In the glass, my choice of Amontillado as the sherry provided a nutty bouquet along with the anise and floral orange aromas from the other ingredients. Next, orange and grape mingled on the sip, and the swallow proffered grape, nutty, orange, and absinthe spice flavors. Overall, the combination reminded me of something William Schmidt would have created circa 1890, as well as a Fancy (and slightly Improved) Adonis.