helen of troy does countertop dancing

1 1/2 oz Laird's Applejack
1 oz Fee Brothers' Orgeat
1/2 oz Angostura Bitters
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Two Wednesdays ago, we stopped in at The Independent to pay bartender Casey Keenan a visit. For a first drink, I asked Casey for the humorously named Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing which was described on the menu as "applejack, orgeat, lots of Angostura, and citrus." The combination first reminded me of a bitters-forward version of the Harvest Moon (apple brandy, orgeat, lime) that appears in the 1934 edition of Esquire Magazine's top 10 most popular cocktail as well as the Green Street Grill's house cocktail book where I first spotted it. The Helen of Troy was created by bar manager Lauren, and I was remiss in asking what might have inspired her.
The cocktail greeted my nose with cinnamon spice and nuttiness. A rich apple and lemon sip gave way to a nutty, cherry, and clove-y spice swallow. Overall, the citrus, orgeat, and Angostura combination worked rather well here as it did in the Bittah Walshie, Trinidad Sour, and Stormy Mai Tai.