Name: Modern Medicine
Cook time: 3 minutes
Total time: 3 minutes
Yield: Makes 1
Ingredients: 1½ oz. (45 ml) bourbon; 1⁄2 oz. (15 ml) Aperol; 3⁄4 oz. (22 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1⁄2 oz. (15 ml) Demerara Syrup (2:1, see Note); 2 dashes aromatic bitters; 1⁄4 oz. (8 ml) smoky scotch; Lemon twist, for garnish

Bourbon and Aperol cocktail in a glass with a lemon twist.

Photo by Jordan Hughes

Most “original” cocktail recipes really are riffs on classics, or even riffs on other riffs, as this recipe is somewhat like a modern classic called a Penicillin—which itself is a riff on the whiskey sour.

I first made this recipe while visiting a group of friends out of state, and I only had a small selection of liquor bottles I brought with me for making drinks for everyone. Since whiskey sours are easy and always a hit, I decided to go that direction in terms of recipe format, but still wanted to change it up slightly and make something that felt more unique.

Although the velvety texture from shaken egg white is nice at times, I personally prefer my sours without it. However, once I mixed up this drink, it did feel like it was missing an element for the recipe to really stand on its own. I reached for a bottle of Laphroaig—a scotch from the region of Islay, which is known for its unmistakably smoky flavor profile—and I carefully floated a bit on top of the finished drink. This method of “floating” another spirit is used in various sour variations, like the New York sour or the previously mentioned Penicillin (which also uses an Islay scotch float).

This recipe was excerpted from 'Twist' by Jordan Hughes. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Note:

For the demerara syrup, combine the 2 parts demerara sugar and 1 part water in a saucepan, and heat on low. Heat and stir just until the sugar is dissolved. Let the syrup cool, and then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe information

Total Time
3 minutes
Yield
Makes 1

Ingredients

1½ oz. (45 ml) bourbon

1⁄2 oz. (15 ml) Aperol

3⁄4 oz. (22 ml) fresh lemon juice

1⁄2 oz. (15 ml) Demerara Syrup (2:1, see Note)

2 dashes aromatic bitters

1⁄4 oz. (8 ml) smoky scotch

Lemon twist, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1
Combine the bourbon, Aperol, fresh lemon juice, demerara syrup, and bitters in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice.
Step 2
Carefully float the scotch over the top of the cocktail by slowly pouring it over the back of a bar spoon. Then, take a lemon twist and place it on the side of the rim of the glass.