Behind the Façade

Bar manager Nicole Lebedevitch creates this highball with Armagnac, a robust brandy produced in the Armagnac region of Gascony, France. "You'd think the bold flavors of apricot liqueur, fortified wine and bitters would mask the nuances of Armagnac in this cocktail," she says, "but the Armagnac comes through." Slideshow:  Brandy Cocktails 

Behind the Façade
Photo: © Lucas Allen
Yield:
1

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Armagnac, preferably VSOP

  • 1/2 ounce apricot liqueur

  • 1/2 ounce Bonal Gentiane-Quina (fortified, slightly bitter aperitif wine)

  • 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

  • Dash of orange bitters

  • Ice

  • 2 ounces chilled ginger ale

  • 1 spiral-cut lemon twist, for garnish

Directions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Armagnac, apricot liqueur, Bonal, lemon juice and bitters. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well. Fine-strain into a chilled ice-filled highball glass, stir in the ginger ale and garnish with the lemon twist.

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