Make this cocktail at home by smoking it in a decanter.
1 oz Courvoisier or other VSOP Cognac
1 oz Arbutus Distillery Birch Liqueur
0.5 oz medium sherry
1 tsp grapefruit oleo saccharum (see note)
2 drops saline solution (1:5 sea salt to warm water)
Hickory smoke
Garnish: dehydrated orange wheel
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Pour into a decanter. Add hickory chips into a smoking gun and turn it on. Gently light chips with a lighter and, using the hose, billow smoke into the decanter. Swirl decanter, seal it and let infuse for 1 to 4 minutes, depending on how smoky you want your cocktail. Pour cocktail into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice cube. Serves 1.
Note: To make the grapefruit oleo saccharum, use a citrus peeler to peel 2 well-washed grapefruits, taking care to avoid the bitter pith. (Keep the remaining grapefruit to juice later.) Place the peels into a sealable plastic bag along with 1 cup of granulated sugar. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and massage the peels and sugar a little. Set aside for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature, massaging occasionally. When the sugar is partially dissolved and no crystals remain, juice the remaining grapefruit and add some or all of it to the sugar-oil mixture. Mix well, then use a fine mesh strainer to remove peels and any pulp. Makes about 1 cup.
