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Cocktail History
The Sweet’s Dream Martini is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, for Sweet’s Elderberry. After discovering how dry, tastefully nuanced, and berry-forward their elderberry syrup was, he chose the Martini formula to accent its complexity and paired it with gin, sherry, bitters, and cherry liqueur.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made by redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals to develop a distinctive, aromatic flavor.
Marsala Wine: This is a type of wine made in Italy with grapes, water, and yeast, which are fermented, fortified with brandy, and then aged to develop a slightly sweet, nutty flavor.
Elderberry Syrup: This is a sweetener made with elderberries, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a deep, tart flavor.
Rosemary, Grapefruit, & Peppercorn Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with rosemary, grapefruit peels, black peppercorns, herbs, spices, botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop a tart, slightly bitter flavor.
Maraschino Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with maraschino cherries, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, fruity flavor.
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.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Dark purple-red color
• Aroma: Elderberry and fortified wine
• Taste: Dry herbal flavor with a subtle sweet cherry taste, juniper notes, and distinct sherry
• Finish: Slightly bitter berry
Kendall’s Take: “Don’t let the name fool you! This Martini is as dry as it is dark and is sure to please those with discerning palates. It has a great blend of herbal flavors and light fruitiness, but I think I would prefer a bit more of the maraschino liqueur to bring the sweet flavors forward if I made the Sweet’s Dream Martini again.”
Recipe
Sweet’s Dream Martini
Description
The Sweet's Dream Martini is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, for Sweet's Elderberry. After discovering how dry, tastefully nuanced, and berry-forward their elderberry syrup was, he chose the Martini formula to accent its complexity and paired it with gin, sherry, bitters, and cherry liqueur.
Ingredients
Method
Add gin, sherry, elderberry syrup, bitters, and maraschino liqueur to a mixing glass.
Fill mixing glass with cubed ice.
Using a bar spoon, stir for 30-45 seconds until well-chilled and slightly diluted.
Using a julep strainer, strain into a martini glass.
