Haystack

COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 30 ml Bourbon
- 30 ml Suze
- 15 ml Apricot Brandy Liqueur
- 15 ml Fresh Lemon Juice

GARNISH:
- Lemon Twist

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Cocktail author: John Barraclough (London UK, 2017).

Haystack, in the words of the cocktail creator John Barraclough, has drawn a lot of inspiration from Sam Ross’s creation Paper Plane. While the inspiration can be clearly felt, Haystack is so much more than a simple riff. This completely reworked taste profile goes a long way.

Sweet caramel, vanilla and oak notes of the bourbon pair fantastically well with bitter gentian root flavor of the Suze. A touch of fruitiness provided by the apricot brandy liqueur, was a stroke of genius, naturally, balanced by a healthy dose of lemon juice. Sweet taste of dried apricots not only plays nice with other ingredients, but actually supports them. While at same time comfortingly lingering long after the cocktail is consumed.

In my option Haystack is a fantastically complex cocktail, with pretty straight forward ingredients and specs. Perfectly suited for different times of year and cocktail lovers with varied preferences. A true joy to drink.

Source material:
https://kindredcocktails.com/cocktail/haystack