to hell with spain

1 1/2 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Bonded Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/4 oz Cherry Heering
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Cherry-Vanilla Bitters (Omit)

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass rinsed with absinthe (Butterfly).

Two Saturdays ago, I turned to the Food & Wine: Cocktails 2013 book's aperitif section called To Hell With Spain. The Bitter Cube Bitters' Ira Koplowitz and Nicholas Kosevich created this riff of the Remember the Maine and named it after the second half of the 1890s call to arms of "Remember the Maine, and To Hell with Spain!" that led into the Spanish-American War. The To Hell With Spain's Cherry Heering-Cynar combination worked rather well with whiskey in the Not the First Cyn and Black Lodge, so I was game to try this twist on the classic.
The To Hell With Spain gave forth a licorice and anise aroma that preceded the caramel, lemon-cherry, and malt sip. Next, the drink finished off with rye, herbal funk, and cherry flavors with a light absinthe note on the finish.