dare i say?

1 oz Rye (Rittenhouse 100)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Aperol
2 dash Rhubarb or Peychaud's Bitters (Peychaud's)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

On Christmas Eve, we stayed in to cook and have cocktails. For a first drink, I opened up the January/February issue of Imbibe Magazine and spotted the Dare I Say? The drink was crafted by Karah Carmack of the Cured in San Antonio and seemed like an interesting Manhattan variation for post-prandial consumption. While we did not have rhubarb bitters which would have complemented the Aperol rather well, the recipe recommended using Peychaud's in a pinch.
The Dare I Say? began with a sweet menthol herbalness on the nose. A sweet grape and orange sip gave way to rye, Fernet Branca's bitter herbal flavors, and a fruity finish on the swallow. Overall, the drink was perfect for helping to digest our large Christmas eve dinner.