Indulge in Cherry Pickin’, a sophisticated Virginia rye whiskey cocktail that balances rich nuttiness with bright fruit notes. Spicy Roundstone Rye meets velvety amaretto and a house-made cherry mint shrub, lifted by fresh lemon juice and delicate saline. Crowned with airy amaretto foam and artisanal garnishes, it delivers a complex, memorable sip.
1 oz Catoctin Creek 92 Proof Roundstone Rye Whiskey
1 oz Amaretto
0.5 oz Cherry & Mint Shrub*
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
A few drops 20% Saline Solution
To Top: Amaretto Foam**
Garnish: Cherry & Mint Fruit Leather*** and a bouquet of fresh mint
Prep: Chill a rocks glass, prepare the amaretto foam, fruit leather, and cherry mint shrub, and measure out the rye whiskey, amaretto, shrub, lemon juice, and saline solution.
Mix: Add the rye whiskey, amaretto, cherry mint shrub, lemon juice, and saline solution into a cocktail shaker.
Shake: Fill the shaker with fresh ice and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled and properly diluted.
Serve: Strain the cold cocktail over fresh ice into the prepared rocks glass and top generously with the light amaretto foam.
Garnish: Place a piece of cherry mint fruit leather on the rim and tuck in a lush bouquet of fresh mint.
*Cherry & Mint Shrub: Macerate 2 cups pitted sweet cherries, ¼ cup fresh peppermint leaves and ½ cup turbinado sugar overnight in the refrigerator. Fine strain, reserving the cherry solids for the fruit leather. Combine the syrup with ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup red wine vinegar. Refrigerate for one week before using.
**Amaretto Foam: Combine 60% amaretto with 40% water. Add 0.5% salt (by weight) and 1% sucrose esters (by weight). Emulsify thoroughly with a milk frother until light and foamy.
***Cherry & Mint Fruit Leather: Remove the mint from the reserved cherry solids and blend the cherries with enough 1:1 simple syrup to create a thick purée. Spread thinly onto a silicone baking mat and dehydrate overnight until the desired texture is reached. Cut into garnish-sized pieces.
