spice & wine

2 1/2 oz La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry
1/2 oz House Spirits "Krogstad" Aquavit
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Berg & Hauck's Celery Bitters

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

Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured down to No. 9 Park for drinks after getting dinner in Chinatown. For a first libation, bartender Tyler Wang suggested a sherry-based number he calls Spice & Wine. His recipe was influenced by Sahil Mehta's Butchertown that Tyler enjoyed at Estragon. Instead of the Butchertown's kümmel, Tyler opted for aquavit, and in place of the honey bourbon, he reached for honey-sweetened Yellow Chartreuse.
The Spice & Wine offered a bright lemon aroma over a savory one from the sherry and the aquavit's caraway. Next, a grape sip was tinged with a light honey-like flavor, and the swallow was herbal and nutty with a light celery note at the end.