Dante (Lee Spirit's Forbidden Fruit Recipe)

 

This is an original cocktail offered by Lee Spirits, makers of Forbidden Fruit for the first time since the more than a century-old recipe disappeared. Here, though, I'm making use of my own forbidden fruit.

I like that this is both a light citrus and gin drink sweetened by cherry and more citrus, which comes from the Cheery Heering and Forbidden Fruit, respectively. Forbidden Fruit adds both bitter grapefruit and pomelo peel as well as a good heap of orange blossom honey. The effect is similar to a Bee's Knees but with lime juice and cherry flavors. 

Overall, it doesn't come across as rich or sweet, but a bit on the tart and dry side. The richness comes in the aftertaste, which is experienced as honeyed fruits and berries, including juniper from the gin. I went with a dry gin like Bulldog to ensure that the juniper notes would not be buried by the other ingredients, and I rather liked it.

• 1 1/2 oz. dry gin (Bulldog used)
• 1/4 oz. Cherry Herring
• 1/4 oz. Forbidden Fruit (homemade used)
• 3/4 oz. lime juice
• maraschino cherry garnish

Combine all ingredients except cherry in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. spear the cherry (the drink is cloudy and obscures sunken fruit) with a cocktail pick and use for garnish.