velvet tuxedo no. 2

1 3/4 oz Fords Gin
1/2 oz Fords Sloe Gin
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 oz Dry Vermouth
1/4 oz Blanc Vermouth
2 dash Orange Bitter

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass, garnish with spritzes of absinthe and a cherry. For the drinks served in class, the batch bottles were rinsed with absinthe before being filled and chilled, and we were allowed to pour and garnish our own drinks (I chose an orange peel and cherry that appeared on the presentation's photo). Two Wednesdays ago, I attended a six hour class called "Hospitality by Design" sponsored by Fords Gin. In between the morning and afternoon sessions was a three-Martini lunch that began with a classic Gin Martini and Gibson and ended with one of the most elegant drinks of the week, the Velvet Tuxedo No. 2. The presentation's slide read, "Our final martini is a riff on the Tuxedo No. 2, made with Fords Gin, Fords Sloe Gin, dry vermouth, Maraschino liqueur, orange bitters, and a kiss of absinthe. Named after the Tuxedo Club in New York, it's a Martini dressed for evening. Elegant, aromatic, slightly sweet, with a touch of sloe and stone fruit notes, it finds its match in a rich chocolate dessert. The cocktail's floral notes lift the dessert, while the gin's structure cuts through its cocoa richness." In my glass, the Velvet Tuxedo No. 2 offered up orange, berry, nutty cherry, and pine aromas. Next, a semi-sweet, red and purple fruit, and hint of cherry notes on the sip gently slid into juniper, semi-bitter tannic fruit, and anise flavors on the swallow. For those wishing to make this as accurately as possible, Fords Sloe Gin is a seasonal limited release, so keep an eye out for it.