Name: Cherry-Fennel Bitters
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: ½ vanilla bean , halved lengthwise; ¾ cup chopped dried cherries; ¼ cup slivered almonds , toasted; 2 tablespoons (½ ounce) sarsaparilla root chips; 2 tablespoons (½ ounce) quassia bark chips; 2 teaspoons dried hibiscus flowers; ½ teaspoon fennel seeds; ½ star anise pod; 16 ounces 100-proof vodka; 1½ ounces recipe

Why This Recipe Works

We created a base blend of dried cherries and toasted almonds, to which we added a combination of botanicals for character and nuance: vanilla for its slight smokiness, sarsaparilla root for its mild bitterness and licorice and herbal notes, fennel seeds and a bit of star anise for their pungent aromas, dried hibiscus flowers for their floral tartness and gorgeous color, and quassia. We loved these bitters in the Sazerac.

Before You Begin

Any dried cherries except for unsweetened sour cherries will work. If you can't find 100-proof vodka, substitute 80-proof vodka, but add 1 week to the infusion time. You can purchase sarsaparilla root chips and hibiscus flowers online or in specialty spice shops. You will need a quart-size jar with a tight-fitting lid for these recipes.

Instructions

Place vanilla bean, cherries, almonds, sarsaparilla root chips, quassia bark chips, hibiscus flowers, fennel seeds, and star anise pod in quart-size glass jar. Add vodka, cover, and shake to combine. Store jar in cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking mixture once every other day.

Set fine-mesh strainer in medium bowl and line with triple layer of cheesecloth. Strain vodka through prepared strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Return infused vodka mixture to clean jar and add syrup. Cover and shake gently to combine. (Cherry-Fennel Bitters can be stored in cool, dark place for up to 1 year.)