1.5 oz Watershed Gin by Catoctin Creek Distilling Co.
0.5 oz Straight Apple Brandy Bottled in Bond by Laird & Company
1 oz fig walnut orgeat*
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 spritz magnolia essence**
Combine ingredients in a cocktail tin over ice, shake and double strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Top with an atomized spray of magnolia essence and garnish optionally with a skeletonized magnolia leaf.
*Fig walnut orgeat
To create a fig walnut milk, begin by soaking walnuts overnight at room temperature. Later, strain and rinse the walnuts, then blend on high with 5 oz of dried figs, spices, and 15 oz water. Pass the blended contents through a nut milk bag to remove solids, then weigh the batch using a kitchen scale.
To finish the orgeat, combine 2 parts sugar (by weight) with every 3 parts fig walnut milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat, add optional spices as desired, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer the orgeat to an airtight container, straining out any solids or spices, add a splash of vodka for stability, and refrigerate for up to one week.
Note: excess can be frozen, separation is normal, shake well before using.
**Magnolia essence
Place one fresh magnolia blossom in an airtight glass jar and add enough 100 proof (50% ABV) vodka to cover. Steep for 2-3 weeks, then strain through a sieve to remove and discard the blossom. Store in a glass atomizer.
