Deux Fois

Deux Fois

Here’s a toast to double trouble, in celebration of the playful meaning of the expression. Things that require twice the effort are often twice as rewarding, after all. The Old Fashioned cocktail, which defined the introduction of cocktails in America two hundred years ago, remains one of the most popular drinks of the modern era. The “Double Old Fashioned” is not really a drink, but rather a measure of volume which has been transferred to the glass itself. Like anything popular, people wanted more of their favorite drink. An “Old Fashioned” glass is a squat heavy bottomed tumbler with straight sides. A “double” Old Fashioned glass is a bit larger, wider and with sides that typically slope out from the base, to accommodate a bigger pour.

make it a double

A classic Old Fashioned is made with rye whiskey, sugar and aromatic bitters all stirred up with ice to dilute and chill it. Delicious variations are easy to create by replacing, for example, the sugar with some other form of sweetener. For the “Double Trouble” version I’ve borrowed a distinctly French spirit in a nod to the drink’s inspirations, a tiny workshop nestled in the French Alps, a yacht builder and a mysteriously puzzling box. Benedictine is a sweet herbal liqueur dating from 1863. In a brilliant bit of marketing savvy, the original producer Alexandre Le Grand augmented the origin story to include the Benedictine Abbey of monks from Normandy, and embossed the distinctive bottles with their motto “DOM” (Deo Optimo Maximo). Benedictine pairs extremely well with the richly cherry flavored Heering liqueur from Denmark, and aromatic walnut bitters compliment the whole. Of course, the proportions are appropriately augmented as well, so you don’t have to go through all the fuss of making another right away. Cheers!

Double feature

Deux Fois

3 oz rye

¾ oz Cherry Heering

¾ oz Benedictine

2 dashes black walnut bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Double orange twist.

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