As we kick off the new year, I’ve decided to revisit some of the drink menus from cocktail parties past. First up, sherry cocktails. My inspiration was a trip to Andalucía, the southern region of Spain, which for nearly eight centuries was part of the Moorish empire. Andalucía's rich history is reflected in architectural marvels like the Mezquita, or Great Mosque of Córdoba, the Alcázar of Seville, and the Alhambra in Granada. The region is also famous for flamenco, bull-fighting, and sherry. It was during my daily meal of tapas, invariably accompanied by a glass (or two) of this local wine, that I developed an appreciation for sherry.

If you’re thinking of sweet cream sherry, stop: these are bone-dry, complex, fortified white wines. There are several types of dry sherry, which progress from light to dark/heavy in color, body, and alcohol content: delicate fino and manzanilla, medium-bodied amontillado and palo cortado, and rich oloroso. All of these sherries are made from the same grape variety (palomino) and share a characteristic nuttiness on the nose and palate, but otherwise can vary wildly. The colors range from pale straw to walnut brown, the textures from clean and sharp to oily and unctuous, and the flavors can include marmalade, brine, winter spices, olive, mushroom, lemon peel, raisin, rosemary, and fudge. It’s this incredible array of flavors that makes sherry an intriguing ingredient for cocktails.

My sherry-based drink menu, as usual, consisted of four cocktails of varying potency. I also tried to incorporate the different types of sherry to highlight their versatility. First was the Adonis, a 19th-century classic that’s equal parts sweet vermouth and sherry with a touch of bitters. I’ve seen it made with every variety from light fino to full-bodied oloroso, so I split the difference and used amontillado. Next was the Mariposa, a modern-day concoction with two sherries, aged rum, and coffee liqueur. The third offering was the Up-To-Date, an ironic name for a century-old drink. It’s a variation on the Manhattan, made with rye whiskey, amontillado, and Grand Marnier. For the fourth drink, I created an original inspired by the lovely Alhambra and its city: La Granada (The Pomegranate). The citrusy saline flavors of manzanilla paired perfectly with the bright notes of gin, balanced by the bittersweet flavor of its namesake fruit. I feel like I’ve only begun to explore the potential of sherry cocktails, so I’ll keep you posted with my progress. ¡Salud!

h.

La Granada

• 1 ½ oz. manzanilla sherry (I used Hidalgo La Gitana)
• 1 oz. gin, London dry style (I used Bombay Sapphire)
• 1 oz. pomegranate-lemon syrup (see below)
• pomegranate seeds, to garnish
• cocktail shaker, bar spoon, strainer, ice, chilled coupe glass

Steps

• add all ingredients except garnish into shaker half-filled with ice
• stir until well chilled, strain into chilled coupe, and garnish

Pomegranate-lemon syrup

• 2 oz. simple syrup
• 1 ½ oz. pomegranate molasses
• 1 ½ oz. lemon juice