Diabl’Oriental
It is time for 2022 @homebarawards finals. This year’s challenge is creating a cocktail in which absinthe must play a significant role (a spray or rinse not enough). A difficult task for sure. For my entry submission, I decided to make a cocktail using an ingredient from these lands that pairs well with Absinthe. Focusing mostly on the cocktail and diving deep into the flavor pairing to create a delicious one with absinthe, I decided to use Barberries (Zereshk) as the core of this cocktail. It is a versatile ingredient with a tart and slightly sweet flavor and can be used as an ingredient in almost anything from rice dishes, salads to jams and jellies. The barberry juice used in the cocktail is acid-adjusted in order to omit using any other additional acidic ingredient. Orgeat highlights the nutty notes, and along with cognac, they are the calming agents for the cocktail since absinthe and barberries are so strong. Finally, a small touch of cherry vinegar is added to provide a final kick. The anise is so strong on the nose even it is well balanced in the cocktail, that’s why lemon zest and mint is a good choice for the garnish.
Ingredients
- 30 ml Cognac VSOP
- 22.5 ml Absente Absinthe
- 45 ml Acid Adjusted Barberry Juice
- 22.5 ml Orgeat
- 7.5 ml Cherry Vinegar
- 3-4 drops Foamer
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake well with plenty of ice until well chilled. Double strain into an ice-filled glass. Express the oil from lemon peel onto the drink and garnish with the peel and a mint sprig. Cheers! 🥂
Notes
Barberry (Zereshk) Juice Recipe
Add 125 gr of dried barberries and 1 lt of water into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and remove. Let it cool down, blend and strain. Add 8 gr of citric, 4 gr of tartaric, 3 gr of malic acid (for 1 lt) and mix well.