Tuesday, April 10, 2012

legion

2/3 Sweet Vermouth (2 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino)
1/6 Brandy (1/2 oz Pedro Domecq Fundador Solera Reserva)
1/6 Curaçao (1/2 oz Senior Curaçao)
1 dash Fernet Branca (1/4 oz)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
After the Count Diablo, I wanted a lighter style nightcap to end the evening. The one that was in my to-drink list was the Legion from 1934's 1700 Cocktails for the Man Behind the Bar. Indeed, the combination of grape, orange liqueur, and Fernet Branca has worked before in drinks like the Don't Give Up the Ship and Scotland the Brave. The Legion began with a grape and orange oil aroma that possessed a hint of menthol from the Fernet. Next, the sip showcased the sweet vermouth with a tinge of orange, and the swallow offered the brandy's strength with an herbal finish. The vermouth really soothed the Fernet; the fullness of the Cocchi Vermouth di Torino reduced its effect enough that I doubled the initial barspoon I had first used.

3 comments:

bza said...

I only have room for one sweet vermouth at a time in my fridge and I just ran out of a bottle of Carpano. Is the Cocchi worth trying, or should I just stick with my usual Antica/Punt E Mes rotation?

frederic said...

Carpano and Cocchi share a similar niche of full flavored red grape based vermouths; however, Cocchi is what you might want to try if Carpano is too rich and flavorful for you. There is no reason to have both (unless you were a bar) and it would be better to have a richer flavored one and a lighter one like Dolin or M&R.

It can't hurt to try it once. It is a bit cheaper than Carpano ($20 instead of $30-32).

bza said...

Thanks! I've never been huge on M&R, which I regret considering the price difference. I might just try the Cocchi in a drink when I'm out at a well-stocked bar and see how it goes.