Saturday Happy Hour — One Good Bottle: Becherovka

An herbal liqueur that makes a great wintry Manhattan riff.

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all rested and recovered. If you have leftover Champagne, today might be a good day to turn it into syrup and try a Champagne Daiquiri. 

If you’re looking for something new, try the Czech liqueur Becherovka.

It isn’t exactly a mainstay of contemporary cocktails, and it’s often taken as a post-meal shot. But it has a chilly, alpine flavor that makes it excellent in winter drinks. I picked up a bottle a few years ago to make Lindsey’s Lament, a kinda-sorta Manhattan riff from the excellent Austin, Texas, cocktail bar Midnight Cowboy. 

With just two alcoholic ingredients, plus bits of salt and maple syrup, Lindsey’s Lament is a stirred-and-boozy sipper with an unusual flavor profile that’s also relatively easy to make. This drink will work with most any conventional bourbon, but it’s best with something a bit richer, like Bulleit or Elijah Craig. 

• 1 pinch salt (about ¼ tsp)

• ¼ ounce maple syrup

• 1 ounce Becherovka

• 1 ¾ ounces bourbon

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until thoroughly chilled. Strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with an orange peel. 

For an even richer version, try adding a dash of Angostura and replacing the bourbon with a split base of dark rum (El Dorado 8 year) and Rittenhouse Rye.

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