Key to the success of the Diamond Noir is the fat-washing process that lends the drink its unexpected velvety texture. Eric Simmons takes a milk punch–inspired approach by filtering the entire cocktail—bourbon, yuzu juice, lemon juice and Demerara syrup—through heavy cream. The final product is then topped with a cabernet float, yielding a New York Sour–adjacent cocktail that feels right at home against a menu of pasta and Italian wine. As Simmons explains, “It has all the [elements of] the restaurant tied into one drink.”
Diamond Noir
Eric Simmons, Maple & Ash | Chicago
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces overproof bourbon
- 1/2 ounce yuzu juice
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce burnt demerara syrup (see Editor's Note)
- 1/4 ounce amontillado sherry
- 4 ounces heavy cream
- cabernet, to float
Directions
- Combine all ingredients, except for the wine, and freeze for one hour.
- Strain the mixture through a coffee filter until clarified.
- In a mixing glass, stir the clarified mixture with ice until properly diluted.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Gently pour the cabernet float over the top of the drink.
Editor's Note
Burnt Demerara Syrup
Combine equal parts aged rum and demerara sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar begins to caramelize. Then, combine the caramelized demerara sugar with water in a ratio of 2:1 and heat until sugar completely dissolves.