saint paul's cocktail

50 mL Cabana Cachaça (1 1/2 oz Cuca Fresca)
25 mL Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (1 oz Lustau)
10 mL Lime Juice (1/2 oz)
10 mL Agave Syrup (1/2 oz 1:1)
2 dash Fee's Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lime twist.

Two Sundays ago, I picked Tom Sandham's World's Best Cocktails off the bookshelf for some drink inspiration. In the cachaça section was a curious sherry drink called Saint Paul's Cocktail that I had previously skipped over since I only recently acquired a bottle of Fino. The author wrote how this was one of his favorites from a large cocktail competition, and he believed that it was the handiwork of Alex Kratena of the Artesian Bar in London's Langham's Hotel. When I posted the photo and recipe on Instagram, bartender Zac Luther commented that it was very reminiscent of the gin and lemon London Calling created by Chris Jepson at London's Milk & Honey bar circa 2002; therefore, I added that suggestion to my list to make.
The Saint Paul's Cocktail proffered lime, grassy, and briny aromas to the nose. Next, lime and white grape on the sip converted into grassy funk, crisp, and briny flavors on the swallow. Overall, the feel reminded me a bit of the Snake in the Grass with a similar build structure despite different ingredients.