Dashfire Cocktail — Bourbon, Benedictine and cream sherry under barrel-aged orange bitters

Dashfire Cocktail

Bourbon, Benedictine and cream sherry under barrel-aged orange bitters

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 1 ozBourbon Whiskey
    One ounce against a full ounce of sweet modifiers
  • 5 dropsVintage Orange Bitters
    Barrel-aged, so the orange arrives softened rather than sharp
    Substitute: Any barrel-aged orange bitters
  • 1/2 ozBenedictine
    Honey and herbs
  • 1/2 ozCream Sherry
    Equal to the Benedictine, and where the raisin comes from
    Substitute: An oloroso, for something drier

Instructions

  1. Add 1 oz bourbon, 1/2 oz Benedictine, 1/2 oz cream sherry and 5 drops Vintage Orange bitters to a mixing glass
  2. Fill with ice and stir until cold
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe and drop in a cocktail cherry

Technique Notes

Cream sherry and Benedictine at the same measure, and together they carry more sugar than an ounce of bourbon can balance on its own. That ratio is what the producer publishes, and it makes a small, rich drink rather than a spirituous one.

Why the Dashfire Cocktail Works

Cream sherry brings raisin, Benedictine brings honey and herbs, and orange peel is the classical bridge between the two. Barrel ageing puts oak on the bitters as well, so it joins the sherry rather than cutting across it.