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This Cocktail is No Square

It's tough to beat a visit to the Cognac region of France – even if it's only to inhale the aromas of warehouses full of aging barrels. If a plane ticket is out of the question, there's always a bottle of Cognac available to be put to good use.

The Vieux Rectangle, a Parisian twist on the New Orleans cocktail the View Carré combines the flavors of a good Cognac with lemon and anise, orange, and notes of clove for a sweet drink on the delicate side with an anise finish.

What keeps this drink from being too sweet is the clever addition of absinthe with flavors that cut through the sweetness, to deliver a cleansing note. The Vieux Rectangle is not one to be enjoyed in quantity, but rather to be sipped and admired.

Ingredients

1½ ounces Cognac

½ ounce Dolin Rouge Vermouth

½ ounce Aperol

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

2 dashes absinthe

1 piece of lemon peel

Directions

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine all ingredients except lemon peel. Stir well, and strain into a chilled vintage martini or small coupe glass. Twist the lemon peel over the cocktail to release the oils, then discard it.