Cocktail No 51 Opera

Sophistication is needed for a night at the Opera and this drink does deliver. Its very similar to a Negroni and will be enjoyed by all who love that classic.

Some references with different ratios of the ingredients can be found on the net, here is one link:

Opera - Cocktailia

The bitterness comes from the Dubonnet, which is a much overlooked aperitif.

The sweetness comes from the Maraschino - is it sad that I bough both of these just so I could try this cocktail? The Maraschino also ass a roundness from the cherry and its own contribution to bitter. The Gin is hiding in the background to deliver a punch to the gut, when you are not expecting it.

First sensation and taste is of cold, sweet and very subtle cherry.  Both the sweetness and the cherry intensify in flavour and the herbs in the Dubonnet start to kick in. Finally after about 2 seconds a warmth spreads through the mouth and across the tongue and the strength of the Gin powers through.

Bitter - Sweet - Strong and complex. Just what a cocktail should be.

Dubonnet website
From its origins with the French Foreign Legion to the legions of modern mixologists still using it today, Dubonnet Rouge Aperitif Wine has been a staple on the cocktail landscape since its introduction in 1846. Created by Parisian chemist / wine merchant Joseph Dubonnet as a means to make quinine more palatable for the soldiers battling malaria in North Africa, Dubonnet's mix of fortified wine, a proprietary blend of herbs, spices and peels, and the medicinal quinine is a recipe that has earned it legendary status in the world of sophisticated drinks.

Recipe

Add 2 measure of Gin and 1 measure each of Dubonnet and Maraschino to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.