Cocktails with Dubonnet Rouge

[Chris Amirault]

I've been trying to find a decent cocktail made with Dubonnet rouge, a tough challenge given the slew of mediocre-to-bad tipples out there. I've tried a bunch, including the Bentley Cocktail from the Savoy (1 1/2 Dubonnet, 1 1/2 apple brandy, bitters -- pick 'em), most of which are really lousy. But then I tried the Deshler Cocktail from drinkboy.com, and I'm convinced it's a fine cocktail ingredient that just needs lovin' care.

Your favorite Dubonnet rouge cocktails, please.

[Mayur]

Funny; just made myself two variants on Brian's 19th Century Cocktail, one using Dubonnet Rouge and the other house-made Noilly Prat Ambre:

1.5 oz Woodford Reserve

.75 oz lemon juice

.75 oz Dubonnet Rouge

barspoon White Cacao

Quite tasty, this. I put a drop of chocolate bitters in there to gild the lily, but really, this is rich enough on its own. The Dubonnet version is pretty great.

[johnder]

I came up with the Solstice cocktail for our last menu @ PDT:

Solstice

1.5 oz Rye (rittenhouse)

.5 oz Bonded Applejack

.5 oz Amaro (ciociaro)

.5 oz Dubonnet Rouge.

1 dash House made Grenadine

Stir, up, lemon twist.

[Mayur]

That's a great drink, John. One of my PDT faves.

[campus five]

I came up with the Solstice cocktail for our last menu @ PDT:

Solstice

1.5 oz Rye (rittenhouse)

.5 oz Bonded Applejack

.5 oz Amaro (ciociaro)

.5 oz Dubonnet Rouge.

1 dash House made Grenadine

Stir, up, lemon twist.

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Would Averna be a reasonable sub for Ciociaro?