orinoco

2 oz Rittenhouse 100 Rye
1/2 oz Angostura Bitters
1/2 oz Espresso
1/2 oz Heavy Simple Syrup (2:1)
1 Egg

Dry shake ingredients to emulsify the egg. Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a dusting of finely ground coffee bean.
I cannot recall the impetus for why I ended up with the Oronoco -- perhaps it was a conversation about bitters-heavy drinks or perhaps it was about the wonders of coffee in cocktails; however, I do remember bartender Ted Kilpatrick asking me if egg was alright, and before I knew it, Ted was off to the coffee station to prep some espresso. The Orinoco cocktail was named after the river basin in Columbia and Venezuela where a lot the coffee is grown in those two countries. The drink started with a vibrant nose of cherry (from the half ounce of Angostura bitters) and coffee aromas. The foresip was rather rich from the egg and from the coffee's dark roast notes, while the middle of the sip contained some delightful cherry wood flavors. Most surprising was how the Angostura brightened up the espresso in the drink. Lastly, the coffee's bitter notes pleasantly lingered on the swallow. As the drink warmed up, the rye flavors began to appear in the drink. Some of the roasted flavors in the Orinoco reminded me of the dark rum-oatmeal stout flip that Misty Kalkofen made for me at Drink a few weeks back.