Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/869846
september 2017 / the tasting panel / 53 september 2017 / the tasting panel / 53 mother actually hails from a town near the distillery). "We are extracting the flavors in a natural way." The resulting aperitivo has an attractive light pink hue and a sweet, complex-yet-delicate flavor profile. "We are making it the old-fashioned way in the old style of apéritifs," Riboli explained. "We tried to create something less bitter than Campari, but also has a lot of the aromatics and herbs and flavors." Bottled at an approachable 15 percent ABV, Rosa 22 is perfect topped with well-chilled Stella Rosa Prosecco in a flute and garnished with a lime, or an orange wedge or peel. Its nuances of rosemary, orange peel, rose petal and grapefruit make it an intriguing cocktail modifier, too, especially in the low-ABV sips that have been increasingly popular with guests wanting to order a few tipples and stay clearheaded. The possibilities for libations of all kinds are actually endless. Rosa 22 can be mixed with a pale ale for a beertail, with lime and grapefruit juices for the Amaro Kiss, or added to a traditional Moscow Mule or Dark and Stormy to temper the spicy ginger beer. It can also ramp up flavor in an Old Fashioned, Manhattan or Piña Colada, or mingle with fruit, lemonade and sherbet in a light, colorful punch. "It adds diversity to the aperitivo market, especially for bartenders looking for something new," Riboli noted. "Mixology is demanding more interest- ing mixers." Beyond creative cocktails, it can also be enjoyed on the rocks with club soda, as a shot or as a palate-prepper before a meal. "It's really fun, very light, with notes of orange blossom and rose petal," said Amie Ward, Beverage Director for R. Bar in Baltimore. During the cocktail competition, she decided to use Rosa 22 as the base for a Cosmopolitan riff—a drink she pointed out was originally created in the 1970s as a way "to temper the brazen Vodka Martini," and was made famous by the television show Sex and the City. In her Cosmopolita, Rosa 22 (a stand-in for the Cosmo's triple sec) was shaken with a housemade lime cordial and cranberry jam as well as citrus syrup and lime bitters, then garnished with cranberry fruit leather made from the spent jam and lime peels. "It's super crushable, beautiful and approachable," Ward mused. And just like the Cosmo can serve as a gateway into other more potent vodka potables, Rosa 22, she added, is the perfect introduction to other bitter liqueurs. The aperitivo certainly looks like a winning addition to the back bar; Ward took home the third-place prize of $500 that night. Cosmopolita by Amie Ward, Beverage Director, R. Bar, Baltimore ◗ 1½ oz. Rosa 22 ◗ ¾ oz. housemade lime cordial ◗ ¾ oz. housemade cranberry citrus syrup ◗ Lime bitters ◗ Garnished with cranberry fruit leather The Judges' Remarks "Sweet, red, delicious; garnish is spot on, providing needed balance." —D.S. "Elegant new addition to the liquor scene." —D.S.F. "Sweet, balanced Cosmo riff." —M.M.