Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10329
WHAT WE’RE DRINKING For those looking for a secret ingredient to help distinguish their cocktails from the rest of the fi eld, Zirbenz is defi nitely on the short list. Amaro Threesome Today the world’s fi nest amaro bitter liqueurs can be found showcased on American backbars. Among the select group is Fernet-Branca (Branca International), a barrel-aged blend of 27 herbs and spices. The aromatic, mahogany-colored bitters is exceptionally spicy with a lingering bitter fi nish. Favored for its healthful benefi ts, Fernet is an 80-proof classic. Produced in Sicily since 1868, Averna (Domaine Select) is an all-natural maceration of grape spirits with fl owers, roots, herbs, spices and dried citrus rinds. On both sides of the Atlantic mixologists rely on Averna Amaro for its fresh fl ora, anise and bit- ter orange notes and a warm, bittersweet medley of herbal, spicy and earthy fl avors. No discussion of the bitter delights of amaro is complete without tribute paid to one last timeless offering: Luxardo Amaro Abano (Preiss Imports) is renowned for imbuing cocktails with a complex set of aromatics and warm, bittersweet fl avors, all of which persist throughout the long, satisfying fi nish. In this threesome, there are no such things as bitter disappointments. Bénédictine Celebrates 500 Years The granddaddy of all herbal liqueurs celebrates its 500th anniversary this year. Bénédictine was created in 1510 by a Venetian monk at the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy and became popular at the court of French king François I. The recipe, which includes 27 herbs and aromatics from the four corners of the globe, was nearly lost during the French revolution but was rediscovered and revived in the mid-19th century. Today, Bénédictine is made from the original recipe in a Renaissance- style palace in Fécamp. 96 / the tasting panel / may 2010