war of 1672

1 1/2 oz Bols Genever
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Bigallet Viriana China China Liqueur
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a cherry.

For our anniversary dinner, Andrea and I made the trek down to the Grange in Providence to have dinner. For a first drink, I asked for the War of 1672. The bartender confirmed that it was their Genever Brooklyn riff, and besides the spirits change, they swapped blanc for the classic's dry vermouth and added Angostura Bitters to the mix. Given the spirits origin, I am assuming that the War of 1672 is the Dutch War or Franco-Dutch War. Perhaps this is a drink for helping to forget as 1672 is often referred to by the Dutch as Het Rampjaar or the year of disaster. However, there is a strong Dutch connection to Brooklyn considering that the borough was settled by the Dutch and named after Breukelen in the Netherlands.
The War of 1672 offered up a malty aroma with hints of cherry which prepared the mouth for the caramel, cherry, and malty sip. The swallow though was full of herbal, quinine, nutty cherry, and dark orange flavors with a clove, wormwood, and drying spice finish. Overall, it was more robustly flavored than I recall Brooklyns being perhaps by the fullness of the Genever and the increased quantity of the Picon aspect.