augie march

2 oz El Tesoro Reposado Tequila (Lunazul)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.

For my post-work drink two Saturday nights ago, I turned to the Death & Co. Cocktail Book for answers. There in the agave section, I chose Phil Ward's 2008 Augie March. The drink was named after the 1953 Saul Bellow's book The Adventures of Augie March; Wikipedia described the character Augie as one who grew up during the Great Depression and "may be said to represent the modern Everyman -- an individual struggling to make sense of, and succeed in, an alienating world." Sounded about right for having wrapped up a weekend bar shift.
The Augie March gave forth funky vegetal agave and Cynar aromas to the nose. Next, the grape paired with the Cynar's caramel on the sip, and the tequila merged into the funky amaro on the swallow as they did in the Mexican Turnover.