Piggot's Preference

The Piggot’s Preference is built around dry vermouth rather than a base spirit, which puts it in a category that has largely fallen out of fashion. An ounce and a half of vermouth against half an ounce of Southern Comfort and a couple of teaspoons each of Cointreau and light rum makes this a genuinely light drink. It was the kind of thing people ordered when they wanted something with flavor and not much alcohol, and it still works well in that role.

Dry vermouth carries the drink, so you get the herbal, slightly bitter, wine-like backbone first. Southern Comfort fills in behind it with peach and baking spice sweetness, the Cointreau lifts the whole thing with orange, and the small measure of light rum adds a bit of weight without pushing the proof up. A dash of orange bitters pulls the citrus notes together and keeps the sweetness from going soft. Stirring rather than shaking keeps it clear and gives it a silky texture.

Glass: Cocktail glass | Strength: Light | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 3 minutes

Bartender’s tip: Vermouth is wine, and it oxidizes. An open bottle sitting on the back bar for three months will taste flat and papery, and in a drink where vermouth is the largest single ingredient there is nowhere for that to hide. Keep it in the refrigerator and finish it within a month. If your Piggot’s Preference tastes dull, the vermouth is almost always the reason.