Seville

Instagram has been an amazing source of new recipes for me. I have dozens of drinks bookmarked, and when I'm interested in trying something new, I often browse the list for ideas. That's how I found the Seville. My friends over at Cocktail Detour shared this lovely drink, and it instantly became a part of my repertoire.

The Seville is a variation on the classic Martini. It's still quite dry, but the floral flavor of Lillet Blanc and nutty hints of fino sherry make it a bit sweeter and more delicate. Two dashes of orange bitters and two orange twists (one flamed) lend a hefty dose of citrus. I particularly love this drink with Barr Hill Gin, which is distilled with honey.

Let's quickly talk about flaming twists! This does not involve actually touching the flame to the peel. Instead, you express the oils of the peel the same way you do with a regular twist, but you do it through a flame, roasting them before they hit the drink. You should see the flame flare up briefly as the oils pass through. This adds a slightly smoky, toasty flavor to the citrus oil and can really change the character of a cocktail. I added a decorative twist afterwards just for fun.

History: The Seville was created by Nick Mautone, who works as a cocktail consultant in New York. (Yes, that's a job, and yes, I want to do it.) He created it for the Michelin-starred restaurant Country (now closed).

Seville

2 oz. gin (Barr Hill recommended)
3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
2 dashes orange bitters
1/2 oz. fino sherry (to rinse)
2 orange twists

Rinse a coupe with the sherry and express one of the orange twists into it. Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into the prepared glass and flame the second orange twist over the top.

Recipe adapted from Cocktail Detour.

London Calling

Earlier this year, my sister and I went on an epic weekend trip to London. When the immigration the officer asked us what we were planning on doing in the UK, she replied, "A lot of drinking, to be honest with you." And it was true. We did our best to hit all of my bucket-list London bars, including Nightjar and the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel. We also went to Milk & Honey, a Soho branch of the famous New York speakeasy that essentially started the modern craft cocktail movement. It was here that we tried the London Calling.

It was an appropriate cocktail choice for a number of reasons. First, the name, obviously. Second, we had been picking sherry cocktails off of every menu we saw (the Jerezana at Happiness Forgets was another favorite). And third, it was actually invented at the very bar in which we were sitting in 2002, and is the only drink to have stayed on their menu ever since. It's a perfect choice for right now as well, because it's International Sherry Week. Social media has been full of awesome sherry cocktail recipes, and I'm happy to add this new classic to the mix. If you're a sherry newbie, it's a great place to start. There's only a half ounce of Fino (a very dry sherry) in the recipe - just enough to give the drink some complexity and introduce that light, nutty flavor. If you like a Bee's Knees, you'll love a London Calling.

History: The London Calling was invented at Milk & Honey in London in 2002 by Chris Jepson.

London Calling

1.5 oz. gin
1/2 oz. fino sherry
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
2 dashes orange bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a grapefruit twist.