The Wry Monk
Combine and stir; strain into coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
- The monks make good stuff so this one is good too.
- Better than Purgatory but worse than Pious Hand Grenade
- Used Leopold Bro’s 3 Pins Alpine instead of Benectine. Used Laws Rye. Complex and interesting with a very nice cinnamon like finish - not the burn more like the feeling.
- Added 0.25 oz Mezcal
- Dante's Requiem — Rye, Bénédictine, Herbal liqueur, Campari, Fernet Branca
- Purgatory — Rye, Bénédictine, Herbal liqueur
- Monte Carlo — Rye, Bénédictine, Peychaud's Bitters
- Nouveau Carré — Añejo tequila, Bénédictine, Aromatized wine, Peychaud's Bitters, Lemon peel
- Pious Hand Grenade — Rye, Herbal liqueur, Bénédictine, Celery bitters
One of those great cocktails to sip while listening to great jazz (e.g., Paul Desmond or Miles Davis). Very smooth; not mellow, just smooth. I used Rittenhouse rye (as I couldn't scrape up enough for the Old Overholt), but it worked like a charm.
I hesitated to make this drink because both Green Chartreuse and Benedictine can be overpowering ingredients. The Rittenhouse rye, however, kept both of them in check. The icing on the cake, so to speak, was the lemon zest--which is a must for this drink. I went a step further, and rubbed the rim of the glass with the lemon rind. It added a subtle but tasty layer to the other ingredients. I rated "The Wry Monk" at 4.5 (well deserved, I might add!).