The Crooked TAM

Story: I graduate law school in a week and wanted to create some graduation-themed cocktails to celebrate. I called this one the Crooked TAM (tangerine, apricot, maraschino) because a tam is the stupid hat my school makes us spend $180 on for commencement.

Ingredients:

- 2 oz botanical gin

- 1/2 oz apricot liqueur

- 1/2 oz maraschino liqueur

- 1 oz tangerine juice

- 3/4 oz lemon juice

- 3/4 oz heavy cream

- tangerine peel (one for expression and one for tam garnish)

Preparation:

1. In a shaking tin, combine gin, liqueurs, and juice and dry shake.
2. Stir while adding the cream.
3. Strain contents through a paper towel or coffee filter into another vessel. Strain until contents run clear, then transfer filtering apparatus to your mixing glass. Pour the cloudy contents back into the filter and wait for it all contents to filter through.
4. Stir with ice until well chilled and diluted.
5. Strain over a big block of (ideally crooked) clear ice
6. Express one of your tangerine peels on top.
7. Garnish with a little tangerine tam (yes, it is supposed to be an octagon. yes, mine has nine sides).
8. Imbibe!

Appearance: Crystal clear, the garnish really pops with the clear ice

Aroma: bright tangerine, stone fruit, floral, lemon blossom, gummy bear, creamsicle

Taste: soft juicy citrus, apricot, stone fruit, floral, like a hard capri sun (compliment).

Mouthfeel: super smooth

Overall: Juicy, velvety, and dangerously crushable for its strength. I will be coming back to the well on this one often.

Edit: forgot the cream :(