The Stark
Recipe:
- 45ml Kentucky bourbon (flavourful, e.g. WT 101)
- 22.5ml Chartreuse Jaune
- 15ml fresh lemon juice
- 15ml honey syrup (3:1)
- Angostura Bitters (for the float)
Combine the lemon juice, honey syrup, Chartreuse and bourbon in a shaker, fill with ice, shake vigorously until the drink is sufficiently chilled. Strain into a rocks glass and add cracked ice and a generous float of bitters.
This nice drink here is mysteriously categorized as "The Highball - served long including traditional Fizzes" in the "Regarding Cocktails" and not found with the other sours. The only explanation would be cracked ice as the difference, but I guess a mistake is more likely.
I like it surprisingly well, although I would mix in the float at least a little before drinking, otherwise you will have quite the experience for your first sip.
But in itself a coherent, autumnal Sour, without any infusion it is nicely loaded with various interesting herbal notes. The Chartreuse -despite the 3/4oz- plays its important supporting role in the background. At the same time you should not expect anything brilliant from it, you can imagine the flavor spectrum and the idea from the recipe, as the book itself states: "The Stark may be a very simple drink, but the love put into it makes it very special." I intentionally used Wild Turkey 101 for more power, definitely the right decision. I would advise going >50%. Oh and I intentionally "split" the bitters, in the sense of filling a larger spoon 50:50 with Angostura and some nice Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters, these round it out nicely so you don't have too much clove, cinnamon and allspice from pure Angostura.
Source: "Regarding Cocktails" - Sasha Petraske & Georgette Moger-Petraske, p. 179
