Minute To Midnight

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Cocktail History

The Minute To Midnight is a New Year's Eve cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a variation of the After Midnight, which is a riff on the classic Kir Royale that was first published in Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis. The author's recipe called for sparkling wine and crème de figue, but since Sukopp wasn't able to locate a bottle of fig liqueur in his area, so he substituted it for pear liqueur and added Armagnac to create a more complex twist on NYE bubbly.

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Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Sparkling Wine: This is a carbonated wine made with white or red grapes. I used Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut.

Armagnac: This is a type of brandy made in Armagnac, France with distilled white wine. I used ODVI Armagnac.

Pear Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with Bartlett pears, quince, sugar, and alcohol. I used Maison Ferrand Mathilde Poire Liqueur.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.

Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

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Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Pale bubbly yellow color

• Aroma: Wine and citrus

• Taste: Mostly sparkling wine flavor with warm brandy, fruit, and spices

• Finish: Noticeable pear and wine aftertaste

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: "Gin is the spirit that is most often paired with sparkling wine, but I've really come to love cocktails that call for brandy instead. In my opinion, gin is often overpowered far too much by the bubbly despite its unique botanical flavor; meanwhile, brandy has a darkness that shines right through. That's certainly the case with the Minute To Midnight. This drink's flavors dance across your tongue with a bit of effervescence thanks to the sparkling wine. It's also not too dry or too sweet but just right for a NYE crowd with varying tastes in boozy beverages. I really, really love this one!"

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Recipe