Bolero

Bolero may spark images of a dance or perhaps the sounds of a Latin beat or a very forgettable Bo Derek film circa 1984. Come on now, you put Bo Derek in a provocative outfit, on horseback, in a black bolero… what could go wrong?

Back on track, we would have to confess to finding damn little verifiable information on the origins of the Bolero cocktail. We have found countless versions of the recipe, all based on Rum, with varying amounts of Sweet Vermouth and Apple Brandy. We tinkered with the proportions, chose dark rum, and swapped Calvados for generic Apple Brandy. In the end, we ended up with a cocktail we would happily sip through a cold evening.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Dark Rum
3/4 oz. Calvados
1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
dash of bitters

Method

In a rocks glass with ice, add all of the ingredients and slowly stir. Serve as is or add a garnish if you must — an apple slice or an orange twist would be festive.