Seattle cocktail enthusiast Robert Hess, best known in booze circles as “DrinkBoy,” concocted the Trident in 2000, riffing on the negroni with far-flung ingredients (Spain’s sherry, Italy’s Cynar—a relatively gentle, vegetal amaro—and Scandinavia’s aquavit) with flavor profiles that closely approximated the strong/bitter/sweet trinity of the classic negroni. Created when the current cocktail renaissance was still in its infancy, many regard this drink as rightfully belonging to the canon of “New Classic” cocktails.
The drink was popularized by the Zig Zag Café in Seattle. “It became so popular there,” Hess recalls, “that the Zig Zag was soon going through more Cynar than all of the other bars in Washington State combined.”
Like the Negroni, this drink scales well for pre-batched bottled cocktails.
Ingredients
Preparation
In an ice-filled mixing glass, combine the aquavit, Cynar, sherry, and bitters. Stir until well chilled, and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the lemon peel before serving.
Recipe notes
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