Silk & Gators Cocktail

 

Greg Henry’s “Savory Cocktails” is quickly becoming a favorite of ours, and today we are making the Silk & Gators cocktail from his book. There is something intricate about cognac cocktails isn’t there? In this drink the cocktail is the true star, supported by minor amounts of other spirits.

The amaro abano, used only as a rinse, contributes with herbal and bitter notes. The sherry helps taking down the alcohol percentage somewhat. And then there is the red vermouth (as always we use antica formula) which adds sweetness, texture and richness.

 

We try to always use chilled glassware. Put them in a freezer an hour or so before serving. It helps to keep the cocktail cool, and it looks sophisticated with the frosty exterior.

 

What’s in it

a few drops of an herbal amaro (we used amaro abano from luxardo)

2 oz cognac

0,75 oz sherry (we used a medium dry sherry, but a fino would also work)

0,5 oz red/sweet vermouth

Rinse the glass with the amaro and pour out the excess. Stir the rest of the ingredients with ice, and strain into the amaro-rinsed cocktail glasses.

 

The color of this cocktail is golden brown, from the cognac and in our case dark sherry.

 

The Silk & Gators truly is a cognac cocktail, and that’s the dominant flavor of the drink.

 

In “Savory Cocktails” this drink is listed under chapter “umami”, identified as the fifth basic taste. Umami is often described as brothy or meaty and this is probably the taste that is created when the strong cognac is combined with the sweet vermouth and the potent sherry.

 

We used a rather “simple” cognac. Feel free to go premium if you’d like!