bicycle thief

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse 100 Rye
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quinquina
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Twist an orange peel over the top.

Two Sundays ago, we decided to travel down to Kendall Square for dinner at the Friendly Toast. Afterwards, we visited the bar at the Blue Room where Matthew Schrage was busy revamping the cocktail program. For a first drink, I asked for the Bicycle Thief. The recipe was created by ex-Drink's California Gold who began the bar program effort before Schrage took over. Actually, I inquired if she had created this one for the format reminded me of her Forty Virtues recipe.
The Bicycle Thief presented an orange oil and dark grape aroma. A grape and caramel sip led into rye swallow along with  bitter herbal notes from the Cynar and Bonal. Finally, the grape from the Bonal and sweet vermouth lingered on the finish.  Overall, the Bicycle Thief was a more complex Little Italy from the addition of the quinquina.