alberto

1/3 Dry Gin (1 oz Ryan & Wood Knockabout)
1/3 Lillet (1 oz)
1/3 Dry Sherry (1 oz Lustau Los Arcos Dry Amontillado)
1 dash Cointreau (1 barspoon)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

On Saturday, I spotted another Massachusetts gin at Downtown Wine and Spirits in Davis Square and this one was from the Ryan & Wood Distillery in Gloucester, MA. Previously, I had seen their Folly Cove Rum at Atlas Liquors and elsewhere, but our need for another rum on our shelves right now is rather low. Their gin did tempt me enough to buy a bottle for um, academic purposes and to fill the impending void when the last ounce of No. 209 Gin is drained. Tasting the spirit straight, it had a vibrant citrus nose and the taste was more juniper and licorice than citrus. Moreover, it had a sweet or malty grain aspect to it as well.
For a drink that night, I picked the Alberto from the Café Royal Cocktail Book as a good recipe to try out the Knockabout. The Alberto started with an orange aroma from the twist's oil and Cointreau. The sip was dry with light fruit notes from the Lillet and the Cointreau, and the swallow was a combination of the nutty sherry and the gin. Overall, the Knockabout worked rather well in the cocktail, and the Alberto recipe seemed like it would make for a rather good aperitif.