Name: The Porter Beer Bars Sarlacc Pit Never Says Die Recipe
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 2 oz Rye whiskey (high-rye); 0.75 oz Sweet vermouth (rich, 16–18% ABV); 0.5 oz Housemade cherry liqueur (see garnish & liqueur section); 0.25 oz Cara cara orange juice (freshly squeezed); 2 dashes Orange bitters; 1 dash Angostura bitters; 1 cup Ice (for mixing); 8 each Luxardo-style jar cherries or fresh dark cherries (pitted) for liqueur; 0.5 cup Granulated sugar (for liqueur); 1 cup Neutral spirit (vodka) or brandy for liqueur; 0.25 each Vanilla bean (optional, split) for liqueur; 1 each Cara cara orange peel (twist) for garnish; 1 each Cocktail cherry (from liqueur) for garnish

Method

House Cherry Liqueur (make ahead — 24–72 hours)

Combine

Place the pitted cherries, granulated sugar, vanilla bean (if using), and neutral spirit or brandy in a clean jar. Stir briefly to dissolve sugar as much as possible.

Infuse

Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours, ideally 48–72 hours. Gently shake the jar once or twice a day to help extraction. Taste after 24 hours and stop when you reach a balanced sweet-cherry flavor (longer infusion = deeper color and flavor).

Finish

Strain the liqueur through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean bottle. If the liqueur is too sweet or syrupy, you may reduce sugar on initial make or dilute slightly with additional neutral spirit. Reserve a cherry or two in the bottle for garnish.

Cocktail Build

Chill glass

If serving up, chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or by filling with ice water while you build the drink.

Measure and combine

In a mixing glass, add 2 oz high-rye whiskey, 0.75 oz sweet vermouth, 0.5 oz house cherry liqueur, 0.25 oz fresh cara cara orange juice, 2 dashes orange bitters, and 1 dash Angostura bitters.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with plenty of ice (about 1 cup). Stir briskly with a bar spoon for 30–40 seconds until the mixture is well-chilled and slightly diluted (target ~20–25% dilution by weight of ice). The exterior of the mixing glass should feel very cold.

Strain

Discard ice/water from the chilled serving glass if applicable. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to catch any small solids or shards of ice.

Garnish

Express the oils of a cara cara orange peel over the drink by holding the peel with the outside facing down and giving it a firm squeeze. Run the peel around the rim and drop it into the glass. Finally, add one cherry from the house liqueur into the cocktail or skewer it and rest it on the rim.

Serve

Serve immediately. This drink balances the spicy backbone of high-rye whiskey with the herbal sweetness of vermouth, the bright orange note from cara cara, and a deep, fruity cherry finish.