Waterloo

 

 

When Simon Difford came up with this recipe, he didn't know that there was another Waterloo cocktail in existence back in the early nineties. Unsurprisingly, both are made with the liqueur that bears the name Napoleon. As soon as I saw this recipe on his webpage I had to try it. 

The big thing on my mind was how I would like the combination three principal ingredients: Jagermeister from Germany, genever from Netherlands, and Mandarine Napoleon French (by way of cognac but made in the Netherlands.) His idea is simple, the flavors are complex. Use a little bit of spirits from the countries involved in Napoleon's fateful battle. 

I wouldn't say the cocktail is better than the sum of its parts. Something is lost in the balance--mostly the depth of Jager. But that is the way with cocktails. They make spirits more drinkable and less ponderous. The result is satisfying and, like the battle, over  quickly. I thought that the pickled almond was a gimmick, but I rather felt it was the ingredient that tied everything together. There was sugar sweetness of the coating that helped the genever and Mandarine get along, and the pickled vinegary notes tied in nicely with Jagermeister.

• 2 oz. genever (Bols barrel aged used)
• 1/2 oz. Mandarine Napoleon (homemade used)
• 1/6 oz. (1 tsp.) Jagermeister
• pickled almond
  

Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Drop the pickled almond inside.