corrascal

1 1/2 oz Dry Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Pear Liqueur
1/4 oz Benedictine
4 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe with 2 oz dry sparkling wine (Willm Blanc de Blancs), and garnish with a star anise pod.
Two Mondays ago, I was flipping through the Canon Cocktail Book when I spotted the Corrascal in the low proof section. The drink appeared like a dry aperitif, and it is frequently served during the Fall and Winter months at Canon in Seattle. Once prepared, the Corrascal gave forth a nutty grape aroma with a hint of star anise from the garnish. Next, the sherry and sparkling wine combined to generate a dry carbonated wine sip, and the swallow shared nutty sherry and dry herbal spice elements with a light pear flavor on the finish.