INGREDIENTS

• 1¼ oz. Mad River Revolution rye (or other rye with chocolate undertones)
• 1¼ oz. black birch cognac (recipe below)
• ½ oz. maple syrup
• 2 dashes Regans’ No. 6 Orange bitters
• Sea salt
• Herbsaint for rinse
• Orange twist and dehydrated birch twig (optional) for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Add rye, cognac, maple syrup, bitters, and a few grains of salt to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Rinse (or mist) an Old Fashioned glass with a splash of Herbsaint. Add 1 large ice cube. Strain cocktail over ice. Squeeze orange twist over drink. Garnish with twist and dehydrated birch twig.

Black Birch Cognac

• Black birch twigs, cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths (or ½ cup crumbled birch bark tea)
• 750 ml cognac (such as Pierre Ferrand Ambre)

Fill a glass quart jar with twigs, then fill with cognac, and secure lid. Shake container daily. The infusion will take about one week but taste for preference. When finished, strain cognac through a fine mesh strainer. The cognac infusion should last a year or more on the shelf. Dehydrate the twig remnants to use as cocktail picks.

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