Eagle Eye Cherry (Death & Co. Recipe)

I loved the taste of this cocktail. I was worried it would be too sweet, like a cordial, or too fruity as its name suggests. I was wrong. The flavor was more bitter and Manhattan-like than rum and sherry cocktail. This is because of many small touches in the recipe that keep the drinker's interest with their bitter notes holding down the sweetness of rum and cherry liqueur. 

These bitter elements were my homemade cherry blossom bitters--still going strong--and Suze gentian spirit (in addition to a hearty sweet vermouth like Cocchi Dopo Teatro). 

One note about the chocolate flavors in this cocktail: I was unsure what substitute to use for Alchemia chocolate vodka (1/4 oz. in the original recipe). I don't have it and I wasn't sure that coco whiskey or chocolate mole bitters would be the right substitute. I almost used Godiva dark chocolate liqueur, but reasoned that it would make the cocktail cloudy. I opted for creme de cacao, which in such small proportions was unlikely to add too much sugar.

• 2 oz. Flor de Cana 7-year rum (George Bowman used)
• 1/2 oz. Cherry Heering
• 1/2 oz. Alvear Festival Pale Cream Sherry (Alexandro Amontillado used)
• 1/2 oz. Lustau East India Solera Sherry
• 1/4 oz. Alchemia chocolate vodka (creme de cacao used)
• 1/2 tsp. Suze
  
• 1 tsp. Antica Formula vermouth (Cocchi Dopo Teatro used)
• dash cherry blossom bitters
• orange twist
• brandied cherry (Luxardo used)

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a port glass and twist the orange zest over it. Garnish with the cherry on a cocktail pick.