gulistan

1 oz Bols Genever
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Massenez Crème a la Fraise
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

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

The previous time we were at Estragon, bartender Sahil Mehta had a pair of Bols Genever recipes. While I opted for the Prince of Orange as it contained an intriguing combination of Drambuie, citrus, and marmalade, Andrea picked the Gulistan. Since she enjoyed it, I decided to give it a go this visit. In naming this complex fruity drink, Sahil associated the Dutch origin of the Genever with the tulip; and in thinking about a field of tulips, Sahil chose the Gulistan as the drink name after the 13th century Persian poet whose name means "flower garden."
The Gulistan began with a pleasing strawberry, malt, and lemon oil aroma. The sweet Aperol and the crème a la fraise fruit notes combined on sip along with the tart lemon. Next, the swallow countered these lighter notes with the Amaro Montenegro's caramel and herbal flavors. The Bols Genever provided a solid backbone in this drink without being all that forward; it did, however, add a malty richness on the swallow that worked well with the amaro.