Kim Joel Gott Crawford Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or chilled rocks glass in the freezer, or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure the final drink stays cold.

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add the blended whiskey, dry vermouth, fresh lemon juice, Cointreau (or triple sec), simple syrup, Angostura bitters, orange bitters, and the optional egg white if using.

Dry shake

If using egg white, first perform a 'dry shake': close the shaker and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds without ice to build foam and emulsify the egg white with the citrus and spirits.

Wet shake

Add 4–6 ice cubes to the shaker (reserve remaining ice for the glass) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold to the touch and the exterior has a light frost.

Strain

Discard the ice/water from the chilled serving glass. Double-strain the shaken cocktail into the chilled coupe or rocks glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer to remove ice shards and any large foam bubbles for a silky texture.

Garnish & finish

Express the oils of the lemon peel over the surface of the drink by holding the peel over the glass with the outer skin facing down and giving it a quick twist. Run the peel around the rim, then drop it into the drink alongside the brandied/Luxardo cherry. Serve immediately.

If you prefer a boozier, less sweet profile, reduce the simple syrup to 0.125 oz (a barspoon). Swap the blended whiskey for a single-malt Scotch for pronounced smoke, or for bourbon to add caramel notes. Omit the egg white for a clear, quicker version. Adjust bitters to taste.