The Principled Widow Recipe

Make honey syrup (if needed)

Combine equal parts honey and warm water (for this recipe ~1/4 cup honey + 1/4 cup warm water). Stir until homogeneous, cool, and store in a sealed container. Measure 0.5 oz for the cocktail.

Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass by filling with ice and cold water or placing in the freezer for 5–10 minutes.

Discard ice/water from the chilled glass and set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, add the gin (2 oz), dry vermouth (0.5 oz), fresh lemon juice (0.5 oz), honey syrup (0.5 oz), and aperitivo (0.25 oz).

Add 2 dashes orange bitters and 1 dash Angostura bitters to the shaker.

Fill the shaker with ice (enough to nearly fill) and secure the lid.

Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds. The goal is to chill, dilute slightly, and integrate the honey syrup so it is silky in the final drink.

Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to remove tiny ice shards and any pulp from the lemon juice.

Take the lemon twist: hold it over the glass, skin side down about 3–4 inches above the surface, and give it a decisive twist to spray the expressed oils onto the drink. Rub the rim briefly with the twist and drop it into the coupe or perch it on the rim.

Optionally, slap the thyme sprig between your hands to release aromatics and float it on the surface as a fragrant garnish.

Serve immediately while cold. The finished cocktail should be bright, slightly herbaceous, with a honeyed mouthfeel and a dry, bitter backbone—befitting its name, The Principled Widow.