The Messenger

Ryan Connelly

Apr 19

Here’s a toast to a mythological marvel in honor of Mercury, the god of messengers. It was created by Boston wine and spirits distributor Ryan Connelly while he was a bartender at Belly Wine Bar in 2013. Ryan created a menu full of fortified wine and vermouth based cocktails, of which this is a prime example. Vermouth is already a cocktail in a bottle, infused with herbs and botanicals from the region and fortified with neutral spirit. In Spain, vermouth with olives and an orange slice is a cultural experience all unto itself.

In the Messenger, Bonal takes center stage as the base spirit, rather than whiskey, gin or any other high proof distillate. Bonal is a classic French aperitif Mistelle based wine, infused with gentian root, herbs from the Chartreuse mountains, and cinchona bark (quinine), which give it a lovely bittersweet flavor that is delicious all on its own. Here it works as a base that is augmented by more sweet vermouth and Calvados, the French apple and pear whiskey. Dry Curacao adds a touch of orange and a few bitters round out the experience, for a wonderfully complex, low proof cocktail that … delivers. Cheers!