lafayette

1/3 Laird's Applejack (1 oz Laird's Bonded)
1/3 Byrrh Quinquina (1 oz)
1/3 French Vermouth (1 oz Miro Dry)
2 dash Maraschino (1/8 oz Luxardo)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass; I garnished with a cherry.

Two Thursdays ago, I was browsing the EUVS library when I spotted a 1934 Laird's book that Boston spirits legend Eric Witz had uploaded called Laird's Applejack: How to Serve and a Collection of Celebrated Recipes. There, I was drawn to the Lafayette created by Frank Claverie of the Hotel Lafayette for it reminded me of the gin-based Marliave's Cocktail from the 1906 Louis Mixed Drinks. Since I enjoyed the Marliave so much (and made it before for guests at Nahita where we had a great quinquina selection), I decided to give the Lafayette a spin.
The Lafayette conjured up a cherry, apple, and herbal bouquet for the nose. Next, grape and cherry notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow provided apple, plum, and cherry flavors. Overall, the combination lay somewhere between the Martinez and the Marconi Wireless, and it was rather similar to Max Toste's Marconi Wireless that I tried back in 2007 and later published in my first book Drink & Tell on page 111.