essenza vintage

1 oz Hennessy VS Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Bigallet China-China (Amaro Ciociaro)
1/4 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/8 oz Simple Syrup
3 dash Cocoa Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)
Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a dried orange wheel (orange twist). Two Saturdays ago, I was delving into online flashcard sets when I found the Essenza Vintage at Cataluna in Jacksonville, Florida, from their January 2024 menu that still appears on the current cocktail list. With Ciociaro in place of the China-China, the pairing with Sfumato reminded me of DTCC-II and my Kilted Flower. Once stirred and strained, the Essenza Vintage gave forth an orange, caramel, and herbal roast aroma. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip transformed into Cognac, rum, caramel orange, and smoky bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.