The Grey Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or fill with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail (about 5 minutes).

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass or Boston shaker filled with cubed ice, pour 2 oz gin, 0.5 oz Dolin dry vermouth, 0.5 oz Cocchi Americano, 0.25 oz Lillet Blanc, 0.25 tsp Allspice Dram, 0.25 tsp Luxardo Maraschino, 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 1 dash orange bitters.

Stir to dilute and chill

Using a bar spoon, stir the mixture briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 full turns) until well chilled and slightly diluted—target temperature near 0–2°C (32–36°F).

Prepare glass

Discard ice water from the chilled glass (if used) and strain the cocktail through a fine strainer into the chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to remove any small ice shards.

Cut a lemon twist: use a vegetable peeler or small knife to remove a 1/2-inch wide strip of lemon peel, avoiding too much pith.

Express oils: hold the twist over the surface of the drink and give it a firm bend to release the citrus oils, then rub the twist around the rim of the glass.

Optional flame: for added aroma, hold a thin orange peel zest over the drink with a lit match about 6–8 inches above the peel and quickly squeeze so a small burst of orange oils passes through the flame (exercise caution).

Garnish and serve: drop the lemon twist into the cocktail (or hang on the rim) and serve immediately.