Amaro April: "The One Hit Wonder" from L'abattoir

Let's kick things off with a couple aperitivo-style cocktails using some lighter amari. First, we once again visit Shaun Layton at L'Abattoir in Vancouver's Gastown for a great spring/summer drink using Aperol and Campari, but the latter in an unusual way. Shaun makes a 2:1 simple syrup and adds Campari and a rhubarb stalk to it, adding a bitter-sweet layer of complexity. Rhubarb is a perfect addition as both the Campari and Aperol, the latter in particular, have this flavour and aroma. Tequila holds a steady backbone behind this potent ingredient, as we saw with several of the Maraschino cocktails last month, an overproof rum cuts through with the alcoholic edge, and the lime settles everything down. Wray and Nephew is a good choice as well for mixing with strong, bitter flavours, like we saw with The Pandemonium cocktail from Veneto in Victora during Fernet February. I'm in the process of convincing Shaun to throw a batch of this syrup together, so this cocktail might be making an appearance soon - make your way down to L'Abattoir to find out...

The One Hit Wonder

45mL El Jimador Tequila Blanco
30mL fresh lime juice
15mL Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum
15mL Rhubarb-Campari syrup
10mL Aperol
Grapefruit peel

Add all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake hard before double-straining into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a long piece of grapefruit peel.

To make the rhubarb-Campari syrup:
Combine 4 parts sugar to 2 parts water to 1 part Campari in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring often. Bring heat down to simmer and add 1 large stalk of finely-diced rhubarb. Let simmer for 30-60 minutes, strain, and let cool. Store in the fridge.

If you don't have a measuring tool with mL's, 1oz is close to 30mL (so 45 ~ 1.5oz, 15mL ~ 1/2oz, 10mL ~ 1/3oz).

(See my review of L'Abattoir here, and search "L'abattoir" in the top right of this blog to see other original cocktails from here)

[[ See my post on amaro digestivos here ]]
[[ See my post on amaro aperivos here ]]
[[ See a buying guide for amaro here ]]

[[ See "The Penny Farthing" from Pourhouse here ]]
[[ See an introduction to amaro  here ]]
[[ See "The Imperial Eagle" from Bourbon & Branch here ]]
[[ See "Sevilla" from Beretta here ]]
[[ See "Fallow Grave" from the Toronto Temperance Society here ]]
[[ See "The Black Prince" from Phil Ward here ]]
[[ See "Bad Apple" and "Jackson Ward" from Amor y Amargo here ]]
[[ See "The Four Horsemen" from Jay Jones at Shangri-La here ]]
[[ See Colin MacDougall from Blue Water Cafe here ]]
[[ See "Debbie Don't" from Dutch Kills here ]]
[[ See "Welcome to the Dark Side" from Cin Cin here ]]
[[ See "Foolish Games" from Russell Davis here ]]
[[ See "Intro To Aperol" from Audrey Saunders at Pegu Club here ]]