Wow, this is good. I used cocchi instead of lillet since it was open. I bought a bottle of scotch so I could try this since I love maurin quina; I got black bottle, a cheapie blend as I wasn't sure I'd like smoky whiskey, but it turns out I'm a fan.

Thanks for the Cocchi suggestions - was out of Lillet and Cocchi and used Campari instead. Used Kilchoman Islay whiskey and drink was awesome - nice and smokey with great complexity!

I made this a few years ago with Cocchi Americano and a regrettable choice for the Scotch. Cocchi is a hammer here, overpowering the Maurin Quina--too sweet and too intense in its cinnamon/quinine. I remade this as 1:1:1 into a Nick & Nora rather than as a lowball. Lillet blanc is too bland for my taste in most cocktails, so I used Cap Corse Blanc Quinquina which has a more balanced white wine and quinine character--more flavorful than Lillet, but not like Cocchi. I used Cutty Sark Prohibition this time and it worked well, flavorful yet mellow/sophisticated. As I made it I would rate it near 4.5 out of 5.

I'm wondering which Chambers Muscat this cocktail calls for - the Rutherglen would be the most likely choice, but I wanted to make sure. Thanks.

Quite tart, but really good. 4.5 as it is, but I have to believe 1 tsp of rich syrup would make it a 5.

I added the 1/4 of simple -- a little less.  Great balance of sweet, sour, and bourbon-y oomph. I used Old Forester Signature, which worked splendidly. 

Renamed from "My Best Negroni" to "Negroni (Katie Loeb)"; with her consent via eGullet message. While Katie's name works well within the context of her bar, it doesn't work so well when published globally. She notes that she is a super-taster and finds the bitter elements in this version very much to her liking.

I have to say -- and I love Katie's work -- that if she's a real supertaster (as in extreme PROP sensitivity) it's impossible that she'd love the bitterness. That said, I adore her version, which is like a Negroni with a bonus kick in the tush with a spiked boot.

<br /> Still a Negroni with the predictable Campari bitterness. Nevertheless, the Katie Loeb Negroni is a refreshing variation of the traditional Negroni, made possible by the switch to Plymouth gin. One wouldn't think that switching from the standard Gin, such as Tangqueray, to Plymouth Gin would make much difference. But it does because Plymouth Gin is not as dry as your standard gin and it has a somewhat more "earthy" feel. Moreover, Plymouth Gin has a noticably softer juniper flavour. If you haven't tried the Katie Loeb Negroni, thinking it's just more of the same, I say try it; you'll be pleasantly surprised.

What Parfait Amour do you use? I've found that whenever I try to use my Marie Brizzard, it simply ruins everything it touches. Should I solder bravely on and try this? I haven't tried Creme de Yvette, but maybe that would work?

I also moderated the 3 oz of absinthe to the intended 3 dashes. 3 oz would be quite a drink ;)

Dan,

Thanks for the edit on the absinthe ;) I'm not sure which brand of Parfait Amour they used at Teardrop, but there can't be that many available in the market. This had that weird 40's era balance (remember the Bengal?), but was complex and interesting.

This is essentially the Savoy corruption of one of the two original 1900 Trilby cocktails, the Scotch variation in Harry Johnson's 1900 "Bartender's Guide" rather than the Old Tom Gin variant in James Maloney's 1900 "20th Century Guide for Mixing Fancy Drinks." (Although Frederic Yarm's write up on the Trilby lists the drink as being in the 1882 version of Johnson's "Bartender Guide", I don't find it there and assume that the earlier edition was listed in error. The Trilby novel that was the basis for the cocktail was not published until 1894.)

Johnson's 1900 Trilby: "Fill up with shaved ice;
2 dashes of absinthe;
2 or 3 dashes of orange bitters;
2 or 3 dashes of "Parafait d'Amour;"
1/2 wine glass of Scotch whiskey;
1/2 wine glass of Italian vermouth;
Stir up well with a spoon; strain into a cocktail
glass, putting in cherries, and squeeze a piece of lemon
peel on top, then serve."

Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book perhaps inadvertently changed the Parfait d'Amour to equal parts with the Scotch and vermouth. I have made this in the past and even with the whiskey increased by half and the Parfait d'Amour decreased by half, I wasn't happy with it. I should probably go back and try it per the 1900 recipe.

The other Trilby variant with Old Tom gin, Italian vermouth, Creme de Violette, and orange bitters looks more promising. Unfortunately the Savoy Cocktail Book butchered it as well, by omitting the Creme de Violette in the Trilby Cocktail No. 1. Jack Grohusko's 1908 version of the Trilby used Creme Yvette in its place. It is this version that I most want to try with my own recently completed knock off of Creme Yvette (since Yvette hasn't been available for several years.)

Not bad, but the Fernet is pretty strong.  There are better cider recipes out there.