[orangy rye sherry cocktail]

2 oz Michter's Rye
1/2 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/2 oz Creole Shrub
1 dash Bittermens Bitters Sweet Chocolate Bitters
Stirred with ice and strained into a cocktail glass.

My errands the other day took me rather close to Eastern Standard so I decided to be decadent and drop in for a drink. Hugh interrupted his citrus prep work to make me a cocktail. Upon hearing that I wanted rye, he had an idea of using sherry in "Redhook proportions"; however, he was lost as to the third ingredient. We were both on the same page as I suggested the orangy Creole Shrub and he griped about needing to shake the bar's reliance on Amer Picon as their supplies were dwindling.

I think the Creole Shrub was not the right choice as it is more subtle of a flavor and it got squashed by the large rye and sherry components. Amer Picon definitely would have held its own in that ratio. A possibility that sprung into my head afterwards was Averna or another one of the amaros on their shelf which are generally fuller bodied and more rugged than the Creole Shrub.

Overall, not a bad drink despite my liqueur choice and one with decent promise.