Sforzando Cocktail Recipe • Novel Nightcaps

Name: Sforzando
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 fl oz Rye; 0.75 fl oz Mezcal; 0.5 fl oz Dry Vermouth; 0.5 fl oz Bénédictine; 2 dashes Xocolatl Mole Bitters; 1 Orange Twist

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Cocktail History

The Sforzando is a modern cocktail that was created in 2008 by Eryn Reece at Death & Company’s flagship location in New York City, New York. True to the bar’s style of altering classics, the recipe starts out using the Manhattan template of whiskey, vermouth, and bitters, but this version splits the rye base with mezcal and adds in the herbal French liqueur Bénédictine, along with cacao, cinnamon, and spiced bitters.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. I used Heaven Hill Distillery Rittenhouse Rye.

Mezcal: This is a spirit made in Mexico with agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged in an underground pit lined with wood. I used Rayu Espadín Mezcal.

Dry Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry.

Bénédictine: This is a liqueur made in France with twenty-seven herbs and spices, sugar, and alcohol.

Xocolatl Mole Bitters: This is a food product made with Mexican cacao, spices, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Bittermen’s Xocolatl Mole Bitters.

Orange Twist: This is the peel of an orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

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.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

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

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

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: Golden orange color

• Aroma: Zesty orange and earth mezcal

• Taste: Slightly sweetened hit of the agave spirit backed with a hint of rye spice

• Finish: Earthy flavor with grassy peat

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “This was the second Manhattan-style recipe I tried in one tasting, the other being the Tokyo Drift, and I think I liked that one better. The Sforzando actually made me shudder a little on the swallow because of how harsh and boozy it is. The mezcal is barely detectable, in my opinion, but it’s still present enough. My palate’s just not developed enough to truly enjoy this type of cocktail yet. I’ll be sticking to my fruity mezcal drinks for a bit longer.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails: Mixed Drinks for the Golden Age of Agave by Robert Simonson.

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Sforzando

Origin: Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails Method: Stirred Base Spirit: Mezcal, Whiskey

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Prep Time 3 mins Assembly Time 2 mins Total Time 5 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 1 Calories: 245 Best Season: Summer

Ingredients

Servings

1 fl oz Rye

0.75 fl oz Mezcal

0.5 fl oz Dry Vermouth

0.5 fl oz Bénédictine

2 dashes Xocolatl Mole Bitters

1 Orange Twist

Method

Add rye, mezcal, Bénédictine, dry vermouth, bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with orange twist.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How do I make this cocktail recipe non-alcoholic?

Use The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey, MONDAY Zero Alcohol Mezcal in place of the mezcal, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Dry in place of the dry vermouth, and homemade black tea, honey, and thyme syrup in place of the Bénédictine liqueur to try a mocktail version of this drink.