teenage riot

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse 100 Rye
1 1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Lustau Dry Amontillado Sherry
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

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

Two Wednesdays ago, I was drawn to the Teenage Riot created by Tonia Guffey of New York City's DRAM, Flatiron Lounge, and Lani Kai. The recipe appears in Gary Regan's Annual Manual for Bartenders and could be named after one of the Sonic Youth songs that I used to listen to in high school when it first came out in 1988. So beside the possible alterna-rock drink name, the Teenage Riot had a very Little Italy vibe to it, so I was sold.
The Teenage Riot began with a lemon oil aroma that floated over a hint of the Cynar's herbaceousness. Next, the sip was malty from the rye and grape-tinged from the sherry, and the swallow packed the rye's heat, the Cynar's complex botanicals, and the bitters' orange notes. Overall, it was drier and a little more citrussy than a Little Italy but equally as tasty to drink. Mmm... spirit desire.