Add 2 Dashes of Amargo Chuncho Bitters or 1 Dash of Angosture Bitters, stir and serve in a small cocktail glass and garnish with orange zest and a thin sliver of orange peel.
*Earl Grey Infused No. 209 Gin:
Take 2 oz. loose leaf earl grey tean and cold steep in No. 209 Gin for 15 minutes or to taste.
Drink Inspiration
My inspiration for the East India Club cocktail is historical, as well as stylistic both in terms of the format of the cocktail and the flavor profile. The East India Club, in the heart of London’s clubland, has a long tradition as a gentleman’s home from home. Founded in the middle of the 19th century, its original members were ‘the servants of the East India Company and Commissioned Officers of Her Majesty’s Army and Navy’. At that time, imbibers consumed cocktails of a much smaller size than they do today. Ultimately, it was about a small, cold drink that packed a mouthful of flavor. The Earl Grey tea is reminiscent of both British, and British India culture. The bergamot in the Earl Grey echoes the bergamot note present in No. 209 Gin and the lightly aged PX sherry has a pleasant "raisin-eyness" that also recalls thoughts of Indian flavors. Ultimately, I was inspired by the idea of layers of strong and unique flavors packed into a very small tipple to be enjoyed in 3-4 sips leaving the drinker with the choice to have a second rather than forcing him or her to consume double the quantity (the way it should be).
