coral triangle

1 1/2 oz Batavia Arrack
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Muddle 2 curry leaves in a mixing glass with all of the ingredients. Stir and strain unchilled and undiluted into a cocktail coupe and garnish with a fresh curry leaf.

For my second cocktail at Estragon, Sahil Mehta asked me if I was in the mood for a Scaffa, a room temperature cocktail that can sometimes be undiluted as well. Since I have a soft spot for Scaffas, I gave the thumbs up. Sahil's use of Batavia Arrack and perhaps the curry leaves led him to name the libation the Coral Triangle. The Coral Triangle is a region of ocean encompasses the Philippines, Indonesia, and other islands and contains a great deal of biodiversity.
On the nose, the curry leaf aroma coupled well with Batavia Arrack funk. A sweet fruitiness on the sip led to a swallow that began with Batavia Arrack followed by apricot notes and ended with curry spice. Even with the citrus to dry out the drink (instead of the sugar being used solely to balance the spirit's heat like in many Scaffas), the drink still came across as rather well balanced.