supernova

1 oz Gin (Death's Door)
1 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Drambuie
2 dash Angostura Bitters

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

Last Monday night, I was in the mood for a nightcap, so I opened up the Cocktail Collective book and found the Supernova. The drink was created by Anu Apte of Rob Roy in Seattle, Washington and takes the basic equal parts Martini and adds sweetness and spice from Drambuie and Angostura Bitters. I was eager to give this recipe a try, for while gin and Drambuie do not seem like a natural pairing, they did work rather well together in the Queen's Smile.
The Supernova's aroma was a combination of lemon oil and the Drambuie. Flavorwise, the Drambuie contributed greatly on the sip which was a slightly sweet honey flavor, and it donated a tangy flavor on the somewhat drier swallow when it paired with the French vermouth. The rest of the swallow consisted of the gin's juniper note combined with a medley of other botanical flavors; moreover, the spice notes from the Angostura and perhaps some from the gin lingered on in the aftertaste. One of the most interesting contributions from the Drambuie was the barrel notes from the liqueur's Scotch base. These barrel-aged whiskey flavors when merged with the Death's Door Gin reminded me a lot of Ransom's Old Tom Gin. Moreover, if I were to compare the Supernova to something I have had before, perhaps it would be the Automobile given the gin, Scotch, and vermouth elements.