Diamondback

Another one I found via Looka, the Diamondback is a drink to be reckoned with. I looked up this drink on the internet, and I found that most people say to stir it. That is certainly what intuition would suggest, as the drink contains only spirits, but the instructions at that particular blog said to shake it. I was intrigued by the idea, because it goes against the norm, and I was actually very glad I did. The aeration and texture of the drink were a pleasant change of pace for an aromatic cocktail, and it helped to tame the burn of rye+brandy+green chartreuse, which is a very high proof mixture.

Diamondback1.5 oz rye (Old Overholt).75 oz apple brandy (Laird's bonded).75 oz green ChartreuseShake and double-strain.

The Diamondback is probably not for the faint of heart, but I always find green Chartreuse has a cinnamon flavor hiding in all of those herbs, and with the spice from the rye and the apple, I felt like I was drinking an apple pie. The blend of flavors was exquisite, and elegant. Chuck Taggart mentioned that he had this drink at the Zig Zag Cafe, and after I made it, I realized that so had I, but I didn't remember. It's hard to know for certain, but I think I had it shaken there, too.The general rule is that you should only shake a drink if it contains fresh juices or thickening agents such as cream or egg, and otherwise it should be stirred or swizzled, or occasionally built. Once in a while, it's good to break the rules.The lack of bitters in this drink is intriguing, as most aromatic cocktails benefit from the bassline flavors of a cocktail bitter. In fact, a drink is not properly labelled a cocktail if it contains no bitters, so the Diamondback is not a cocktail in the David Embury sense of the the word; rather it is an ensemble, which is a mixed drink made exclusively of spirits, often sweet enough to be served as dessert.