not the first cyn

1 1/2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
1 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
3 dash Fee's Rhubarb Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass containing fresh ice. Garnish with an orange twist and add straws.

For my drink at Casa B in Somerville, I asked bartender Taso Paptsoris what he had been making with Cynar lately since I was impressed with the Cynar-laden drink that he crafted for the USBG-Boston aperitifs and digestifs event's mix-off a few months ago. One of the drinks Taso suggested was a Bourbon-based one called Not the First Cyn that rounded out the recipe with fruity notes from Cherry Heering and rhubarb bitters.
Once mixed, the orange oils were joined by hints of cherry on the nose. The cherry notes continued on into the sip where it mingled with the Cynar's caramel flavors. The swallow then began with the Bourbon and ended with a bitter, earthy cherry combination.