King in Yellow
This is a cocktail I invented a few hours ago. A quick Google search suggests it’s a new combination. I’m very pleased with it.
I call it King in Yellow, after Robert Chambers’ sinister short story collection, the The King in Yellow. Like the book, this drink has a strong, bitter, divisive nature. It’s also the right colour.
Stir with ice, strain into a glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist (include the twist).
I made this twice, first with Dry Line and then with Sipsmith. Although Sipsmith is the superior gin, it’s perhaps a bit too fruity for this cocktail.
Strega is a powerful 80-proof Italian liqueur that pairs famously well with gin. It’s not common in the US and I think I had to order a bottle online.
I adore Suze over ice with a splash of tonic in the summer. I’ve found all my previous attempts at Suze cocktails to be a waste of perfectly good Suze. White Negronis are particularly monstrous. Think of this recipe as a correct variation on a Negroni where the Suze substitutes the vermouth, not the Campari (the Strega is the Campari).
I’d like to try it with a tangerine or orange twist, but I didn’t have one to hand. It might benefit from some ice in the glass.
Did I mention it’s strong?