wig in a box

3/4 oz Bombay Dry Gin
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
1/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
The next drink I tried at the Piccola Italia event hosted by Fratelli Branca was the Wig in a Box. The drink was created by Kelly Coggins, and he took his inspiration from the Hedwig and the Angry Inch song of the same name. In that song are the lyrics, "I look back on where I'm from/Look at the woman I've become/And the strangest things seem suddenly routine/I look up from my vermouth on the rocks/The gift wrapped wig's still in the box/Of towering velveteen." From the vermouth reference, Kelly started with Carpano Antica. To that, he added gin, apricot liqueur, and lemon juice in a recipe that reminded me of a sweet instead of dry vermouth Darb Cocktail. The Wig in a Box offered up a lemon and apricot aroma. The sweet grape and lemon sip led into a swallow containing apricot flavors and herbal notes from the gin and vermouth.