the Atty

[Nathan]

I'm using Edouard 72. one dash completely overwhelms the drink no matter how careful I try to be. I'm thinking maybe 1 drop?

I know some of you love this cocktail...

[eas]

Yes, same result here, and I'd attribute that to the quality of the absinthe. 2 dashes and its still prominent. The picture of Jamie's Attention in the latest Imbibe made this top of mind.

Atty - adapted from Savoy recipe posted earlier by Erik, proportions adjusted by me.

1/4 French Vermouth

2 dashes Absinthe (Jade)

3/4 Dry Gin (Plymouth)

4 dashes Crème de Violette (R&W)

Which recipe were you using Nathan?

[Nathan]

I don't have it in front of me but I think it was:

2 gin (Plymouth)

.75 d vermouth

.25 violette

2 dashes absinthe was way too much (I couldn't taste anything else)

so was 1

[eje]

Interesting that you bring it up!

There are actually three cocktails that are very similar.

The Attention, The ATTY, and Arsenic & Old Lace.

I did slightly overpour the vermouth when I made it, perhaps that helps to tame the Absinthe?

[eje]

Oh, by the way, there's no question the ATTY is a really fiddly cocktail.

The type of gin, vermouth, violet liqueur, and absinthe you use can all affect it in pretty significant ways.

The Absinthe and Violet Liqueur are particularly difficult to balance.

The last time I made it at some friends', we had available: Beefeater Gin, M&R Dry Vermouth, Lucid Absinthe and Benoit-Serres Violet liqueur. In that case, the Violet Liqueur dominated the cocktail in kind of a weird way.

If you've got one of the milder violet liqueurs and one of the stronger absinthe's you might need to tweak it.

2-1 Gin to Vermouth also helps a lot to moderate the proceedings. If you're using 2 oz Gin, I would use 1 oz Vermouth.

[thirtyoneknots]

I've made it with Edouard and found 3 dashes to be ok, but the drink was unquestionably peculiar and I haven't been in a rush to make it again. I actually thought the Violette was too strong, not the absinthe, though that could just be a reflection of liking Absinthe way more than Violet liqueur.

[Nathan]

hmm...I'm thinking for my next one:

2 Junipero

1 vermouth.

.5 violette (I couldn't taste it at .25 with the absinthe)

dash or two Edouard

[jmfangio]

I'd still like to experiment with other gins and proportions, but so far I've found it perfect with the recipe originally listed in the Savoy thread, using:

1 1/2 oz Beefeater

3/4 oz Noilly Prat

1/4 oz Verte de Fougerolles

1/4 oz Hermes Violet, or homemade substitute

I wish I still had some No. 209 laying around...

[Nathan]

I'd still like to experiment with other gins and proportions, but so far I've found it perfect with the recipe originally listed in the Savoy thread, using:

1 1/2 oz Beefeater

3/4 oz Noilly Prat

1/4 oz Verte de Fougerolles

1/4 oz Hermes Violet, or homemade substitute

I wish I still had some No. 209 laying around...

←

I can tell you right now that with .25 eduouard you won't taste anything else.

[eje]

hmm...I'm thinking for my next one:

2 Junipero

1 vermouth.

.5 violette (I couldn't taste it at .25 with the absinthe)

dash or two Edouard

←

Well, that will be interesting. I don't think I've tried combining Junipero with Absinthe. I've found it to be hit or miss in cocktails. It works really well in some, and ruins others. I think it was an Aviation I tried with Junipero, that I thought was awful.

Though, a half an ounce of liqueur may start to tilt the cocktail towards sweetness.

Really, it should be closer to a dry martini.

What violet liqueur are you using? Seems weird to me you can't taste it.

Another thought: Do you have pernod, ricard, or herbsaint you could use instead of the Eduard?

[jmfangio]

I'd still like to experiment with other gins and proportions, but so far I've found it perfect with the recipe originally listed in the Savoy thread, using:

1 1/2 oz Beefeater

3/4 oz Noilly Prat

1/4 oz Verte de Fougerolles

1/4 oz Hermes Violet, or homemade substitute

I wish I still had some No. 209 laying around...

←

I can tell you right now that with .25 eduouard you won't taste anything else.

←

Wow - then how about just coating the glass? I keep a small glass atomizer that I picked up a beauty supply shop for $2 filled with absinthe for making Sazeracs.

[Nathan]

hmm...I'm thinking for my next one:

2 Junipero

1 vermouth.

.5 violette (I couldn't taste it at .25 with the absinthe)

dash or two Edouard

←

Well, that will be interesting. I don't think I've tried combining Junipero with Absinthe. I've found it to be hit or miss in cocktails. It works really well in some, and ruins others. I think it was an Aviation I tried with Junipero, that I thought was awful.

Though, a half an ounce of liqueur may start to tilt the cocktail towards sweetness.

Really, it should be closer to a dry martini.

What violet liqueur are you using? Seems weird to me you can't taste it.

Another thought: Do you have pernod, ricard, or herbsaint you could use instead of the Eduard?

←

sure, I could use pernod...but I don't want too!

.25 would be my preference on the violette but that Edouard comes on strong. I'm thinking the Junipero might tame it some.

[Mayur]

*thread resurrection*

I wouldn't use Junipero for this. The fact that it will stand up to the herbal accents in the absinthe (and it will!) is completely separate from the fact that it will combine with the absinthe to knock the violette and vermouth accents out of the drink entirely.

The problem here is almost certainly the violette. R&W is very, very dry stuff, and as such tends to fade into the background in a cocktail like this. I'd recommend sticking with Plymouth (or something similarly "clean" in flavor), reducing the absinthe to one drop (yes, one drop) and doing one of two things with the violette:

1) Use something different: Monin's violet syrup is a good alternative for this drink assuming you can't get a French alternative (or Hermes).

2) Add some simple. IME, adding sugar to drinks with the R&W violette really opens up the liqueur's aromatic profile.

Just thinking about the Atty today, since it's a perfect drink for this weather.