This glorious cocktail comes from the glorious cocktail bar at Nahita. They call it the Sunset Over Instanbul, and it’s a perfectly balanced drink with a garnish that embodies its name. Anytime a cocktail gets into some precious liqueur, I get nervous that it will veer into sweet or medicinal territory, but this one steered clear of that. (That extra half part of gin helps out immensely.) The original called for orange bitters, but I substituted peach bitters because it was what we had on hand, and it worked well with the stone fruit theme. Use some sort of bitters, as they also aid in tamping down any excess sweetness, in the event that you get a lemon that wants to swerve to the sweet side instead of staying in the tart lane.
The garnish is a cherry (the sun) flanked by an orange slice (the rays) to symbolize the sunset. A word of warning: based on recent reactions from various guests, this is a powerful and potent creation. Stop at one. And even then, I won’t be responsible for whatever might transpire. Enjoy the ride into the sunset, and hang onto your hat…
Sunset Over Istanbul Cocktail by Nahita: A Variation
1 ½ parts gin
1 part apricot liqueur
¾ part fresh lemon juice (strained)
Few drops peach bitters
