Key Party (Death & Co. Recipe)

I like a stirred cocktail that is unapolegetically French. In keeping with this thought, I tried to go as French as possible with ingredients that I had a choice about. The first is obvious: Citadelle gin is one of those top tier dry gins packed with beautiful floral and spice botanicals that are perfectly balanced. It was an excellent choice to pair with Bonal, a rich and earthy French aromatized wine with quinine. 

Amaro Nardini is the only Italian ingredient in this Death & Co. recipe, and the only one I don't have. Amari have simple substitutes that you can go with for cocktails, so I started with my homemade Amer Picon (made with Ramazzotti and orange bitters) and a touch of Frenet Branca to give it that cool menthol flavor of Nardini as well. I've not tried Nardini, but everyone who does raves about its orange, menthol and caramel notes, and I think I accurately captured this with a 2 to 1 proportion of Picon and Frenet.

A final substitution--my usual Dolin Genepy for Chartreuse--is totally acceptable because of its low proportion to the cocktail that doesn't rely on Green Chartreuse to produce a green colored drink.

• 2 oz. gin (Citadelle used)
• 1/2 oz. Bonal Gentain-Quina
• 1/2 oz. Amaro Nardini
• 1/4 oz. green Chartreuse (Dolin Genepy used)