Cock Beck Recipe

Prepare honey syrup

If you don't have honey syrup ready, make it first by stirring equal parts honey and hot water until fully combined and cooled to room temperature (e.g., 1 tablespoon honey + 1 tablespoon hot water yields about 0.5 oz). Chill briefly if necessary.

Chill glass

Place a coupe or old-fashioned glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail.

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker add 2 oz London dry gin, 0.5 oz blended Scotch, 0.5 oz sweet vermouth, 0.25 oz citrus liqueur, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.25 oz honey syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 1 dash orange bitters.

Add ice and shake

Add 6 ice cubes to the shaker. Secure the shaker lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is well chilled and slightly frosted on the outside. This both chills and dilutes the drink to balance sweetness and strength.

Strain

Dump the ice water from your chilled serving glass if used. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or an old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube (if serving on the rocks) using a fine mesh strainer to remove small ice shards and any pulp from the lemon juice.

Garnish and finish

Express the oils of a lemon twist over the drink by holding the twist over the surface and giving it a firm squeeze so the citrus oils spray onto the cocktail, then rub the peel around the rim and drop it in (or place it on the rim). Optionally add a brandied or Luxardo cherry on a pick.

Serve

Serve immediately while cold. The blended Scotch adds a gentle smoky backbone to the gin-forward base; adjust the Scotch amount to taste if you prefer more or less smokiness.