brandy crusta

1 jigger Brandy (2 oz Camus VS Cognac)
2 dash Apricot Brandy (3/8 oz Giffard)
1/2 Lime Juice (3/4 oz)
1/2 tsp Grenadine (3/8 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a sugar-rimmed glass; I added a wide lime twist inserted into the interior diameter of the glass.

After my bar shift two Sunday nights ago, I turned to Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 and spotted a Brandy Crusta recipe that I had never made. I probably skipped over the recipe dozens of times for we have already written up a more standard Brandy Crusta here before, and for the longest time, I did not have wanted another one with the same name. In addition, the Pioneers book has some nonstandard Crusta recipes which frequently leave out the bitters element (the Crusta after all was the first known cocktail to contain citrus) as well as the classy citrus peel rosette or ring at the top of the glass. Here, I included the citrus peel anyways, and I probably figured that I should make this since spirit, lime, apricot liqueur, and grenadine has been a winner in drinks like the Bermudian (renamed the Boston Cocktail most likely by the Mr. Boston series) and the Cuban Cocktail #6.
This version of the Brandy Crusta greeted the nose with apricot and Cognac aromas that were brightened by the lime twist and juice. Next, lime and berry on the sip stepped aside to Cognac and apricot flavors on the swallow with tart barrel-aged notes on the finish. Overall, the combination was rather pleasant, elegant, and fruity.