Thyme Traveler

Barrell Craft Spirits Seagrass Rye, Lemon, Apricot, Thyme, Cardamom
A journey in every sip, Thyme Traveler blends bold rye, bright citrus, and a touch of herbal complexity to guide your palate through unexpected twists of flavor

• 2 ounces Barrell Craft Spirits Seagrass Rye
• .75 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
• .5 ounce Apricot Preserves
• .5 ounce Thyme Simple Syrup*
• 2 dash Fee Brothers Cardamom Bitters
• 2 drops Saline Solution (1:4)

1. In a dry mixing tin, combine the lemon juice and apricot preserves, muddling to combine
2. Add rye, thyme simple syrup, bitters, saline, and ice, shake well
3. Double strain into a Coupe glass
4. Garnish with a lemon twist

*Thyme Simple Syrup was made by dissolving 1/2 cup of sugar in 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, removing from heat, and steeping 5 sprigs of fresh thyme for 20 minutes. Strain and bottle, storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Appearance: Golden-amber hue with a translucent cloudiness, the bright yellow of the lemon twist provides wonderful contrast (although I forgot to grab a picture after I threw it on there)

Aroma: Bright citrus, lightly floral, with a pleasant herbaceous quality

Flavor: Bursting with citrus and apricot on the front, but anchored by the spice and earthiness of the rye, complex and warming thanks to the thyme and cardamom, well-balanced

Mouthfeel: Silky and rich thanks to the preserves, but not overly heavy thanks to the lemon

Overall: Bright, herbal, and well-balanced, the aroma and flavor are perfect for a cool spring evening on the porch

Some notes on the ingredient choices and thought process behind the design...
I am a big fan of Seagrass (so much so that I have a basic bottle, gray label, and gold label all on my shelf at the moment). For those not familiar, Seagrass is a blend of American and Canadian rye whiskies, finished separately in Martinique Rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy barrels. Seagrass has earned a lot of accolades and is, in my opinion, the best thing coming out of Barrell Craft Spirits.

Seagrass already has some prominent stonefruit notes that, along with a hint of salinity, make for a great pairing with the required apricots. From there, it was all about building some complexity and balance. The hints of thyme and cardamom really work well alongside the rye to bring balance to the fruit. I prefer a slightly drier finish, so I kept the simple syrup low in this one, especially since there is already some significant sugar content from the preserves. I went back and forth on the garnish, but ultimately ended with a lemon twist as I felt it was just a cleaner experience than a thyme sprig.

As a side note, I've been doing some cocktail design for a new place opening locally. I did a version of this drink that replaced the rye with Leiper's Fork Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. I tweaked the simple and bitters a bit on it. The drink was wonderful, but I don't think Leiper's Fork is as widely available, so I stuck with the above recipe for this month's competition.