The Red Sparrow
start with 3 ounces of rye...
(this is from Blood & Whiskey #2, June, 2021)
Over the years, I’ve become a fan of amaros - or, I guess, that’s amari. This was partly inspired by two books by Brad Parsons, Bitters and Amaro. I’ve since learned there’s a yuge range of these bittersweet herbal liquers and digestifs that fall under the loose definition of amaro (including Campari, Fernet-Branca, Aperol, Averna, Cynar).
Then I read about a new women-run distillery near me in Seattle called Fast Penny Spirits. They make two kinds of amari, Americano (red) and Americano Bianci. I picked up a bottle of the Americano and experimented with a few mashups.
Like many of my favorite cocktails (rarely more than 3 ingredients, not counting bitters), this is a twist on a Manhattan. (Side note: a previous experiment - bourbon, Averna, Luxardo, a 4:1:1 mix - was awful. Don’t try it at home.) I’m calling this one the Red Sparrow. (Why? See the giveaway details below.) It’s more a fall or winter drink, but since we’re in the middle of June-uary here in Seattle (60s and rainy) it works well.
The Red Sparrow
3 ounces rye whiskey (I used George Dickel)
2 ounces of amaro — the Fast Penny Americano was perfect, but you could try a herbaceous-spicy brand like Meletti (or even Fernet, but that’s more of an acquired taste)
1 ounce of red vermouth (I used Dolin)
dash of bitters (I used Peychaud’s for a bit of color and sweet, but orange bitters work, too)
garnish with a slice of strawberry and a mint leaf (orange peel or a cherry works, too)
Shake with ice and serve straight up or pour over one of those fussy big square cubes. Or just pour over non-fussy rocks and stir it with you damn finger. If you want a lighter drink, add a splash of seltzer or orange La Croix.
Bonus drink: the NY Times recently schooled me on the French summer drink, Pincon Biere, a mix of cheap beer and Amer Picon, an aperitif apparently unavailable in the US. The Times suggested using an amaro like Averna or Nonino, and I prefer the latter (it’s lighter). The Times also suggested adding an orange liquer, which I skipped - too sweet. So… Just toss a splash of Nonino or Aperol into a cold pilsner. It’s not exactly my kind of thing (tastes like flavored beer), but it’s super refreshing on a hot day.