[apotecario]

1 oz Cynar
1 oz Martini & Rossi Rosé Vermouth
1 oz Espolón Blanco Tequila
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail or other small glass.

Monday last week, Andrea and I went to Pomodoro in Brookline and sat at the bar to have dinner. There, the honorable Stephen Shellenberger was presiding, and for a first drink, he made me an equal parts tequila number that matched the agave spirit with Cynar and rosé vermouth. While I have mentioned how well tequila and Cynar pair up such as in Under the Volcano, I had never had it with rosé vermouth. However, I have noticed how well it works with blanc (sweet white) vermouth such as in the Rojo Bianco and the Mary Sharon, so I figured this would be similar. When I asked Stephen about the drink concept, he described how he inverted the aromas in the classic Negroni but left the gustatory proportions the same.
In the drink, the dark, funky Cynar aroma was balanced by the light fruitiness of the vermouth and the floral and vegetal notes of the agave. I soon understood Stephen's drink concept because the combination of the liqueur and the vermouth was indeed reminiscent of Campari to the nose. The rosé vermouth's grape flavors filled the sip, and the tequila and Cynar rounded out the swallow. Overall, it was a different tasting drink than the tequila-sweet vermouth 1836 and the tequila-sweet and -dry vermouth Rosita, but just as delightful.