Dusty Bottle: Ramazzotti Is Worth The 'Slap on the Wrist'

By Paul Leddy in Food on Aug 29, 2013 7:40PM

Have you ever wondered whether some of those strange old bottles at the back of bars ever get used? We asked some of our favorite bartenders and mixologists to create a drink with a bottle of spirits that seemingly never gets used in the home bar - the Dusty Bottle.

When we approach Chicago bartenders with the list of our "dusty bottles," many are bemused and say they use most of the bottles on a daily basis in their cocktails. While today's bottle is one that we have been seeing on more and more cocktail menus, it still is pretty mysterious to the home bartender.

Ramazzotti is an Italian amaro that dates back to 1815 and contains 33 herbs and roots. It has medium bitterness with more pronounced flavors of orange, cardamom, and cinnamon.

In the hands of Jess Keene from Barrelhouse Flat, the liqueur is matched up with Old Grand Dad 100 proof Bourbon and a little Suze (a gentian liqueur from France that is also on our Dusty Bottle list). The result is a surprisingly balanced cocktail that has some nice spice and a beautiful color.

When wondering what to do with those rarely used bottles in your bar, Keene recommends getting to know all the bottles in your collection by tasting and thinking of how each liquor will work (or not) with other bottles."Don't be hesitant to test your creations on friends and family," Keene says. "At Barrelhouse Flat, we will taste eachothers cocktails and give feedback to help achieve a premium result before the cocktail goes live. Be experimental and have fun."

Slap on the Wrist
1 ounce Ramazzotti
0.75 ounce Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond Bourbon
0.25 ounce Suze
0.25 ounce Demerara syrup (2:1)
2 dashes Peychaud's

Stir in a mixing glass and strain in a chilled coupe glass. Express an orange peel over the top of the cocktail and discard.