broken english

2 oz Gin (Cold River)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi Vermouth di Torino)
1/2 oz Strega
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1 barspoon (1/8 oz) Benedictine
2 dash Regan's Orange Bitters
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

After the Black Demure two Saturdays ago, I decided to try a challenging drink by Colin Shearn in Gary Regan's Annual Manual for Bartenders 2011 called Broken English. Colin created this cocktail at Philadelphia's Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company, and I knew from experience that his risky looking recipes turn out incredibly well. The Infernal Architect from Beta Cocktails and the Always Crashing the Same Car were but two examples of that.
The Broken English began with a grapefruit oil aroma that allowed some herbal elements to peak out from underneath. Next, the sip showcased the sweet vermouth's grape along with hints of citrus, and the swallow contained the gin and a medley of bitter complexity. Surprisingly, the drink did not stand out as a Fernet Branca or Strega cocktail which was odd since they are usually domineering and distinctive flavors. And overall, the Broken English was certainly not a train wreck but rather elegant in its balance, and it definitely made for a delightful nightcap.