beauregarde

1 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 oz Gin (Farmer's)
1/2 oz Blueberry Shrub (see here for an easy recipe)
1 barspoon (1/8 oz) Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
1 dash Orange Bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

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

For Thursday Drink Night two weeks ago, the theme was "berries." As the conversation progressed, I mentioned that I had some strawberry and blueberry shrubs in the refrigerator, and I began to consider a drink with them. Many of my shrubs get used in simple aperitif style drinks that are 2 oz dry vermouth (or dry sherry), 1/2 oz shrub, 1 large ice cube, and a citrus twist in a rocks glass. Building on this basic recipe, I bolstered the alcohol content with some gin. I also added some Maraschino after remembering Ryan Lotz's advice about how the liqueur can help to make many seasonal fruit flavors pop out more. Finally, for a name, I made this blueberry-tinged aperitif a tribute to Willy Wonka's Violet Beauregarde character who gets turned into a blueberry.