rattlesnake

1/2 Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz Old Overholt)
1/4 Lemon Juice (1/2 oz)
1/4 French Vermouth (1 oz Dolin Blanc)
1 dash Picon Bitters (1/4 oz Torani Amer)
1 dash Jamaican Rum (1/4 oz Wray & Nephew)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass; I added a lemon twist.
After the Old Rogue, I reached for Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 for something to round out the evening. There, I spotted an interesting Rattlesnake recipe that varied considerably from the better known Rattlesnake Cocktail from the Savoy Cocktail Book. To balance this one, I interpreted the French vermouth as the sweeter blanc one and increased the volume to balance the lemon juice in the mix. Once prepared, this Rattlesnake sprung out with lemon and rye aromas. Next, lemon and white wine showed their fangs on the sip, and the swallow recoiled with rye, bitter orange, and herbal flavors with an orange, woody, and rum funk finish.