orientation

1 3/4 oz Louis Royer Force 53 Cognac (Foret VSOP)
1/2 oz Barbadillo Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Orgeat (BG Reynolds)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make one of the runner up drinks in the "Show Me The Proof" Cognac competition back in December. The Orientation by Dead Rabbits' Gregory Buda seemed to have the classic Japanese Cocktail as its backbone with sherry and lemon juice added in for complexity. Perhaps the "Orient" in the name is a nod to the the Land of the Rising Sun, or perhaps I should describe the flavor profile instead of looking too deeply into this one. Indeed, the Orientation greeted the nose with a nutty grape aroma from the orgeat and oxidized sherry. The lemon juice added a crisp citrus note to counter the richness and grape on the sip, and the swallow paired the brandy with the nuttiness from the sherry and orgeat. Finally, the drink ended with a dryness from the bitters' spice on the finish.