Strawberry–Charred Pineapple Vermouth, Cognac, Benedictine, Orange Bitters
Bartender Zack McRoy of Lillian | Richmond, VA
Adapted by StarChefs | December 2026 | Photo: Will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Strawberry–Charred Pineapple Vermouth:
3 liters sauvignon blanc wine
1⅓ liters vodka
400 milliliters gin
750 grams strawberries
500 grams charred pineapple
60 grams hoja santa
30 grams honeysuckle
20 grams rose petals
15 grams elderflower
12 grams white peppercorns
10 grams star anise
10 grams cardamom
2 grams wormwood
3 grams angelica root
4 ounces Meyer lemon oleo saccharum
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 cocktail
Absinthe
½ ounce Pierre Ferrand ambre cognac
¼ ounce Benedictine
2 dashes orange bitters
Lemon twist
METHOD
For the Strawberry–Charred Pineapple Vermouth:
In a large nonreactive container, combine wine, vodka, and gin. Stir to combine. Add strawberries, pineapple, hoja santa, honeysuckle, rose petals, elderflower, peppercorns, star anise, cardamon, wormwood, and angelica root. Seal and refrigerate until aromatics are fully extracted. Once infused, pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Add oleo saccharum and stir to combine. Bottle and reserve.
To Assemble and Serve:
Spray absinthe into a chilled coupe glass and set aside. In a mixing glass with ice, combine cognac, Benedictine, orange bitters, and 2½ ounces Strawberry–Charred Pineapple Vermouth. Stir until chilled. Strain into prepared coupe glass. Express a lemon twist over top and discard.
