hanky panky

1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin
1 1/2 oz Bonal
1 barspoon Fernet Branca

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Twist an orange peel over the top.

While I was not planning on having a third cocktail at Drink, Kitty Amann showed up and wanted to do a round of Plymouth Gin drinks; therefore, bartender Misty Kalkofen asked what I would like. When I gave some thought to what gin drink I wanted, I remembered spotting a bottle of Bonal, a gentian and quinine-flavored aromatized wine, and thought about what drinks would work well with Bonal substituted for sweet vermouth. Since I had a Martinez recently, my mind jumped to the Hanky Panky. When I announced my drink choice, it made Misty rather happy. Perhaps it was because it used Bonal and Fernet Branca which Misty adores, or perhaps it was because I summoned her LUPEC name (all of the members have aliases named after cocktails). Kitty liked the idea of the Bonal-Plymouth Gin Hanky Panky so much that she ordered one herself!
The Hanky Panky nose was full of orange oil notes. Gin flavors and Bonal's richness filled the sip, and Fernet's menthol and Bonal's gentian stood out on the swallow. The Fernet was meted out with a light touch so that it did not dominate the drink; furthermore, its flavors complemented the Bonal rather well.