fleur carre

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz Benedictine
3/4 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Germain at work, St. Elder at home)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass pre-rinsed with absinthe (Herbsaint at work, Kübler at home), and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.

Two Fridays ago, I decided to replicate a drink that I had made for a guest the night before. That Thursday, I had a couple who only wanted floral drinks. For their second round, one of them wanted a flowery version of a De La Louisiane. I originally doubled up the rye whiskey (at work we use equal parts with the sweet vermouth and Benedictine but with a 110° rye) and swapped out the sweet vermouth for St. Germain. That swap and adjustment was not only a bit sweet, but a bit too bright. I added in some of the vermouth in the form of Punt e Mes especially given how well it works with elderflower in the Maximilian Affair, and that solidified the combination. For a name, I later dubbed this one the Fleur Carré when I made it at home.The Fleur Carré opened up to the senses with a lemon, anise, and floral aroma. Next, grape, caramel, and grapefruit notes on the sip waltzed into rye, herbal, and floral flavors on the swallow with an anise finish.