jeff's whimsy

1 1/2 oz Bonal Quinquina
1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Calvados (Boulard VSOP)
1 dash Aromatic Bitters (Jerry Thomas Decanter)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Two Mondays ago, I was in the mood for something light so I turned to Dinah Sander's The Art of the Shim. There, I spotted Jeff Hollinger's low proof, straight spirits number that he created for Dinah at the Comstock Saloon in San Francisco circa 2010. Since Calvados and Bonal pair so well together such as in the Messenger and Belle Star, I was definitely game to try this recipe.
Jeff's Whimsy Shim began with a lemon oil note that brightened the apple and grape aromas. Next, sweet grape with a hint of apple on the sip transitioned into the rest of the apple flavors accented with bitter herbal and spice elements on the swallow.