Such an elegant box requires an elegant toast to match. The Rose Tree cocktail must include rose liqueur, of course. There are rose liqueurs available which taste of sweetened air freshener, but I chose to go in a different direction for this Jabberwock cocktail variation. The gin and dry sherry remain. However the Caperitif vermouth is exchanged for a split of two different types of infused wine aperitifs, of a rosier disposition.

Italicus is a resurrected Italian aperitif known as a Rosolio di Torino which updates an old recipe from the fourteenth century and adds flavors of Bergamot orange to the mix. Rosolios were aromatized wines infused with citrus, aromatic herbs, and of course, roses. They were known as the drink of Kings, but I am taking some modern license to include Queens now as well. Italicus is lovely and sweet, so clearly needs something more bitter to balance it out here. Cocchi Americano is another Italian aromatized wine which has been made slightly bitter through infused herbs and roots – a process known as “amaricato”. It’s a wonderful substitute for vermouth in cocktails and there are also variations to the standard formula. The most notable is Cocchi Rosa, which uses a base of red wine and adds rose petals to the infusion. The two rose infused spirits work well together. A few dashes of rose bitters completes the drink. The final cocktail has a beautiful hue that sparkles like a gem, and tastes like one too. Cheers!

Rose Tree

1 oz gin

¾ oz fino sherry

½ oz Italicus

½ oz Cocchi Rosa

2 d Black Cloud Prairie Rose Bitters

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