The wonderful thing about classic cocktails is the way you bend them to reflect something closer to home, adding ingredients that are meaningful and orienting to a place, a culture, an era in time.
We are always simultaneously transported by the Spanish influence of chef Alex Bujoreneau’s authentic dishes and ingredients and yet feel thoroughly ensconced in the beauty of the East End at Hampton Bays treasure, R.Aire, so it’s no surprise to us that they’d find a way to bring a little bit of northern Spain into a classic Whiskey Sour.
The liqueur Atxa Pacharan comes from Basque Country and is a heady combo of distilled and steeped sloe berries, star anise (three kinds!), aniseed and coriander. It’s spicy and sweet and like nothing you’ve ever tasted. Added to a the whiskey-lemon-simple syrup combo, it creates an autumnal note that’s just right for easing out of the summer and into fall.
Head on over to R.Aire’s lovely, convivial bar for one — or give it a shot yourself at home tonight. Cheers, friends! Or as they say in Spain:
Ariba!
Abajo!
Al centro!
Pa dentro!
Midnight Oak
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 3/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 oz Atxa Pacharan liqueur
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 1 dehydrated orange wheel
Directions
- In a shaker with ice, combine the bourdon, lemon juice, Atxa Pacharan and simple syrup.
- Shake until well chilled, about 10 to 15 seconds.
- Strain into a double rocks glass with one large ice cube.
- Garnish with the dehydrated orange wheel, Cheers!
