strasbourg

1 oz Aalborg Aquavit
1 oz Hayman's Old Tom Gin
1 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
1 dash Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette

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

Two Mondays ago, Andrea and I made our way over to the South End to eat dinner at Estragon. For my first drink, bartender Sahil Mehta recommended the Strasbourg; he named it after the official seat of the European Parliament for its ingredients were sourced from four different nations across that continent. With the flower bulbs beginning to appear, I was interested in the floral aspect of this split spirit Martini variation especially after remembering the Pokey Crocus a few days before.
The lemon twist gave a pleasing aroma to the drink that began with a dry vermouth wine sip. Next, the swallow was a light aquavit and gin herbal combination that led into floral notes from the crème de violette. Overall, it was not as dry or juniper-driven as a Martini, and the aquavit's caraway did not dominate the profile like it can in many drinks.