Courtesy of Spyridon Koklas, Assistant Bar Manager, The Shelbourne, Dublin
The classic Boulevardier is made with bourbon; this lively variation highlights Irish whiskey, enriched with vermouth accented with creme de cacao.
“I always thought there was something missing [from the classic] so I decided to do something with chocolate,” says Spyridon Koklas, who named the drink after his own Greek heritage.
While The Shelbourne makes its cocoa vermouth in-house, to approximate the effect at home, Koklas suggests gilding the sweet vermouth with a touch of crème de cacao.
El Greco’s madness
Ingredients
1 ounce Irish whiskey (Koklas uses Redbreast 12 Irish Whiskey)
1 ounce of Aperol
1 ounce cocoa vermouth (¾ ounce sweet vermouth mixed with ¼ ounce cocoa cream)
1 dash of orange bitters
Grapefruit zest, for garnish
Grated nutmeg, for garnish
directions
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a coupe glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with grapefruit zest and nutmeg.
This article originally appeared in the February/March 2022 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!
Posted on March 5, 2022
