rhinestone cowboy

1 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Benedictine
2 dash Fee's Gin Barrel Aged Orange Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a Highball glass with ice. Top with 1 1/2 oz Maine Root Sarsaparilla and garnish with a lemon twist.
One of the drinks I had at the State Lines: A Portland & Providence Pop-up event at Thirst Boston was the Rhinestone Cowboy. This recipes was one of the three offerings at the Sonny's Restaurant of Portland table, and I was game to try it to see if sarsaparilla paired with Fernet just as well as Moxie did in the Improved Toxic Moxie. Once prepared, the Rhinestone Cowboy shared a lemon oil aroma over a light air of herbal notes. Next, a root-tinged caramel sip gave way to most of the rootbeer flavors on the swallow with a menthol finish. Indeed, both the Benedictine and the soda worked well to tame Fernet Branca and keep all the aspects in balance.