Chink in the Armor

Kirk Estopinal | New Orleans

Kirk Estopinal’s Gunshop Fizz was a rule-breaking cocktail for its inclusion of two full ounces—not dashes—of Peychaud’s Bitters. Here, the Chink in the Armor calls for 14 drops of Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters in a cocktail that Estopinal calls “a nod to malted milk balls.” 

Recipe excerpt from the new book Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em by Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake, published by Abrams. Photography © 2022 by Denny Culbert.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 1 1/2 ounces genever, preferably Bols
  • 1 1/2 ounces genever, preferably Bols
  • 3/4 ounce Lillet Blanc
  • 3/4 ounce Lillet Blanc
  • 1/2 ounce honey syrup (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/2 ounce honey syrup (see Editor’s Note)
  • 14 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
  • 14 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Garnish: pigtailed lemon twist (see Editor’s Note)

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill.
  2. Strain into a chilled double Old-Fashioned glass filled with ice.
  3. Garnish with a pigtailed lemon twist.
Editor's Note

Honey Syrup
Combine 2 parts honey and 1 part boiling water in a nonreactive container. Stir until dissolved. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Pigtailed Lemon Twist
While holding a lemon near the drink, use a channel knife to cut a short, 3- to 4-inch skinny string of peel. Citrus oils should spray over the drink to season it. Tie the string into a knot or coil into a tight spiral.