Whiskey and Coke Re-engineered — The highball taken apart and rebuilt as a short drink

Whiskey and Coke Re-engineered

The highball taken apart and rebuilt as a short drink

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 2 ozRye Whiskey
    A Kentucky straight rye in the original
  • 4 dropsChocolate Bitters
    Drops, against half an ounce of cola syrup
    Substitute: Any cacao-led bitters
  • for the rimGround Espresso
    Finely ground, on a rim wetted with water
  • 1/2 ozCola Syrup
    Equal parts cola and sugar, boiled briefly and chilled

Instructions

  1. Wet half the rim of a coupe with water and roll it in finely ground espresso

    Half the rim, so there is a way to drink around it

  2. Add 2 oz rye, 1/2 oz cola syrup and 4 drops chocolate bitters to a shaker with ice
  3. Shake well
  4. Strain into the prepared glass

Technique Notes

Cola syrup instead of cola, which takes the length out and leaves the flavour. Equal parts cola and sugar brought to a light boil, stirred until dissolved and chilled: half an ounce of that does what six ounces of the drink it came from used to do.

Why the Whiskey and Coke Re-engineered Works

Cola, chocolate and coffee are all built on the same dark-roasted register, and the drink works by stacking them instead of contrasting them. The espresso rim is the only bitter thing in the build, and it arrives before the liquid does.