Down & Brown

2 oz Rye, Riverboat (can sub Rittenhouse)
3⁄4 oz Fernet Branca
1⁄2 oz Bénédictine
1⁄4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
Instructions

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a flamed orange twist.

Cocktail summary
Posted by Neel M on
Created by
Ryan McGrale, Tavern Road, Boston
Is an
authentic recipe
Reference

http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2013/03/down-brown.html

Curator
Not yet rated
Average
3.5 stars
(13 ratings)
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From other users
  • Less fernet
  • maybe would be better with a bit less fernet
  • add a bit of lemon for a zing
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Comments
yarm commented on 6/05/2023:

Archibald’s Last Memory seems to be the NYC name of the drink. Ryan McGrale was at Julie Reiner's Flatiron in NYC before he returned to Boston to open up Tavern Road. The Archibald's Last Memory entry on Kindred Cocktails puts it being served by a bartender in 2010 at Flatiron but with no attribution to who created it. Ryan didn't seem like one to take credit for another's work and rename it.

High proof (89 before dilution if using Rittenhouse, 84 with Riverboat Rye). I balked at the amount of Fernet Branca and instead went with a Chicago twist, subbing with Letherbee Fernet which shares some of the menthol/saffron/eucalyptus essence, but is more balanced with some baking spice notes. The result was good, but still had a lot of alcohol heat along with the peppery rye (I used Rittenhouse). It might be interesting to split the fernet, maybe 1/2 Letherbee and 1/4 Fernet Branca? Stick with a 90 proof rye or below to keep the alcohol heat in a slightly more reasonable range--although still quite potent.