not a melon

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Lustau Fino Sherry
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Cynar
3 slice Cucumber

Muddle cucumber slices, add the rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, and strain into a rocks glass. Fill with ice and garnish with a cucumber wheel.

For my second drink at Backbar, I asked guest bartender Zach Luther if he had any cocktails that utilized more commonly available ingredients, and he mentioned that the drink of the day called Not a Melon fit that bill. Zach described how his drink's combination of fino sherry and cucumber created a watermelon note, and I replied that I had experienced a similar effect in Drink's 3185 from cucumber and two different amari. Since cucumber is related to melon, it ought not be too surprising (and Wikipedia got all nerdy by attributing it to the shared (E,Z)-nona-2,6-dienal, (Z)-2-nonenal and (E)-2-nonenal molecules). Finally, Zach cited the Fino, Cynar, and gin drink called Remember the Alimony as his inspiration here.
The Not a Melon gave forth a cucumber-melon aroma with rye notes peeping through. Next, a vegetal, lemon, and malt sip led into rye, bubble gum, and cucumber on the swallow.