queen eleanor

1 1/2 oz Gin (Ryan & Wood Knockabout)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Crème de Pêche (Briottet Maison Edmond CdP de Vigne)
1 dash Celery Bitters (homemade)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Monday last week, I selected the Queen Eleanor from Gary Regan's Annual Manual for Bartenders 2011 as our nightcap. This Martini variation was created by Brandon Josie of 15 Romolo in San Francisco. The Queen Eleanor greeted us with a lemon oil aroma that contained a hint of peach. Next, the sip presented the dry vermouth flavors along with some added sweetness from the crème de pêche. On the swallow, peach flavors led into the bitters' celery and the gin's botanicals at the end; surprisingly, the peach and celery notes complemented each other rather well.