meadowlands

2 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Apricot Liqueur
1/4 oz Becherovka
1 dash Fee's Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

Swizzle on crushed ice in a rocks glass. Top with more crushed ice and add straws.

Two weekends ago, we selected Brick and Mortar for our Sunday outing. For a starter, I asked bartender Kenny Belanger for the Meadowlands which recently appeared on their menu. I assumed that the tribute to the sports stadium was linked to the New Jersey origin of the apple brandy. Before the crushed ice was added, the Meadowlands reminded me of the Independent's apple brandy Old Fashioned variation, the Autumn Sweater.
When the drink was served, Andrea joked that "It's a Jersey snowcone!" An apple and spice aroma greeted me, and the predominant spice I detected was cinnamon from the Becherovka and Fee's bitters. The apple continued on into the sip, and the swallow was quite curious for the Becherovka's clove and cinnamon notes combined with the apricot brandy ones to make an almost cherry-like flavor. Finally, the swallow ended with a lingering floral note that caught me by surprise.