fin du saison

4 slice Small Cucumber (about 2 slices of a regular one)
6-8 leaf Basil
1 pinch Salt
1 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Grand Marnier

Muddle cucumber, basil leaves, and salt. Add rest of ingredients, shake with ice, and double strain into a Champagne flute. Top with a dry sparkling wine (Veuve du Vernay).

On Friday, I made my way down to Craigie on Main and scored a seat at the bar. I had both luck on my side and the fact that I was alone so an odd-numbered party at the bar allowed a seat to be free. For my first drink, I selected the Fin Du Saison for the pairing of cucumber with green Chartreuse reminded me of the tasty Irma La Deuce that LUPEC Boston created for a Chartreuse event I attended at Green Street a few years ago.

The Fin Du Saison that bartender Carrie Cole made for me started with an garden-like aroma filled with cucumber and basil notes. The herbal notes continued over into the light sip that was punctuated by the crispness of the sparkling wine and lemon juice. Chartreuse highlighted the swallow, and this was supplemented by further cucumber and basil flavors.