Aquavit Cocktail: The Yanni

“The Yanni was inspired by working with green Chartreuse in tiki drinks and expanding those flavors using aquavit,” says Public House bartender Nicholas Kitakis. “The versatility of Norden aquavit made it a great base, adding additional depth and flavor. I topped it with a dry tonic water to cut the sweetness, making it a refreshing ‘crusher’ for anytime drinking.”

1½ oz. aquavit
¾ oz. green Chartreuse
¾ oz. velvet falernum
¾ oz. cinnamon syrup
¾ oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. fresh lime juice
Fever-Tree Indian Tonic, to top
Tools: jigger, shaker, strainer
Glass: collins
Garnish: pineapple frond and edible flower

Shake the first 6 ingredients with ice for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass and fill with ice, leaving room for tonic water. Top with tonic, then garnish.

Cinnamon Syrup: Mix a 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water with 3 cinnamon sticks. Simmer until the color turns dark, then remove from heat, cover and allow to cool. Strain out the sticks, bottle and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Nicholas Kitakis, Public House, Ferndale, Michigan

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