As told by Anchor's resident mixologist, Russell Davis:

One thing a lot of people ask me, after learning my chosen profession as a bartender, is whether a certain ingredient would go well with another ingredient (like another spirit, liqueur, herb, fruit, vegetable, etc). My answer is always the same; when treated correctly, you'd be surprised by what ingredients work together in a cocktail.

This month’s cocktail recipe is one that demonstrates how a not-so-obvious pairing can bringing us out of winter and into spring. The End of Winter is based around the old fashioned cocktail.

First I infused the base spirit, H by HINE cognac, with brown butter to add another layer of flavor to the umami of the cognac grapes. It’s the same concept used when infusing meats into a base. We do this infusion by adding 4 oz. of brown butter (Beurre noisette) to every 12 ounces of cognac in a glass container. Let that sit for four days in the refrigerator (shaking it daily) and then put it in the freezer for six hours. The fat solids will freeze, so strain them out with a fiber strainer and keep the remaining infused cognac in the refrigerator and use immediately. I added The King's Ginger Liqueur, a beautiful ginger liqueur that is not overly sweet, which ties the cocktail together by binding the sweet umami of the cognac with the spicy nuttiness of the walnut bitters. Lastly, by stirring the cocktail with ice, I have added the fourth ingredient, water. Proper dilution is the perfect balance between getting the correct temperature of the drink by passing it through (either by shaking or stirring) ice and how much water has been added to the cocktail by the melting of the ice. Only after much practice and experience can someone understand and consistently achieve the proper dilution.

End of Winter
2 oz brown butter-infused H by HINE Cognac
1/2 oz The King's Ginger Liqueur
2-3 dashes Fee Bros. Black Walnut Bitters
Garnish: Luxardo Cherries

Combine H by HINE, The King's Ginger Liqueur, and bitters over ice in a mixing glass. Stir until you reach proper dilution (15-20 seconds).  Strain over a large ice rock in a bucket glass and garnish with Luxardo Cherries.