Sanlúcar De Barrameda Recipe

Make salted honey syrup

Place 2 tbsp honey in a small heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Add 2 tbsp hot water and stir until the honey dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Add a very small pinch of fine sea salt and stir until incorporated. Taste and adjust: the syrup should be sweet with a subtle saline note. Let cool to room temperature (5–10 minutes).

Prepare garnish

Thread the pitted green olive onto a cocktail pick and lightly press to release a drop of brine (optional). If using an olive leaf, rinse and pat dry; keep it whole for aroma. Set both aside.

Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass by placing it in the freezer or filling with ice water while you prepare the cocktail.

Fill a mixing glass with 6 large ice cubes to properly chill and dilute the drink.

Pour in 2 oz Manzanilla sherry and 1 oz olive leaf gin.

Add 0.5 oz of the cooled salted honey syrup and 0.25 oz fresh lemon juice to balance the sweetness and provide a bright edge.

Add 2 dashes of orange bitters.

Stir the mixture with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds (about 30–40 turns) until the outside of the mixing glass feels cold and the appropriate dilution is achieved (roughly 20–25% dilution for spirit-forward stirred cocktails).

Discard ice water from your chilled glass and fine-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to remove any small ice shards.

Garnish by laying the olive leaf across the rim or floating it on the surface for aroma, and rest the olive on the rim or place it on the cocktail pick across the glass. Optionally, brush the rim lightly with a tiny amount of salted honey syrup before placing the olive for extra saline-sweet contrast.

Serve immediately. Before sipping, gently lift the olive leaf toward your nose to inhale the green, briny aromatics that pair with the Manzanilla and olive leaf gin.