old bill

1 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau Don Nuño Dry Oloroso)
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur (Maraska)
1/2 oz Aged Rum (Zacapa 23)
3 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Mondays ago was National Rum Day, and to celebrate, I began flipping through our copy of Left Coast Libations. The drink that caught my eye was one from Neyah White, the Old Bill, that conjured up memories of how well rum and sherry couple. The drink was also attractive for it would allow us a chance to use the Maraska Maraschino Liqueur which we recently found and purchased at Marty's in Newtonville. Maraska is a little sweeter and less complex than Luxardo and is half the price; it seems like it would work in the drinks where you wanted the sweetness without an overbearing Maraschino flavor. The Old Bill greeted us with an orange aroma from the bitters. Sherry and Maraschino flavors were on the front of the sip, and there the ingredients were battling for whether it would be perceived as a sweet or dry balance. The Zacapa rum added a lot of body and kick to the drink, and it along with the bitters added a bit of spice on the swallow. The sherry appeared again on the swallow as a pleasant nuttiness to round out the drink.