Nick Palmeri couldn’t get past the “Robitussin Jolly Rancher” taste of the original Angelo Azzurro, which was first created by Giovanni “Mammina” Pepè in Rome in 1980 using gin, triple sec and blue Curaçao. Adding Luxardo Bitter Bianco helped counter the sweetness and added a touch of bitterness, making it more “mellow and elegant,” Palmeri says. Shaking the drink helps with a quick dilution and adds a layer of ice shards on the surface of the drink, which can be served up in a classic cocktail glass, in a coupe or on the rocks.
Angelo Azzurro
Nick Palmeri, Gaetano's Ristorante | Henderson, NV

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces London dry gin
- 1 1/4 ounce Luxardo Bitter Bianco
- 1 1/4 ounce triple sec
- 1/2 ounce blue Curaçao
Garnish: lemon twist
Directions
- Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake until chilled, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.