Midnight Matinee

This drink features how accessible and versatile a sherry cocktail can be. The chocolate, caramel, and fruit notes make a lovely platform for its long smoke and chestnut finish. This flavor combination stimulates the palate as a true aperitif, but has enough backbone to hold up as a low-abv option during any portion of a night of eating and drinking. The addition of the Laphroaig will appeal to whiskey fans but is subtle enough not to scare away drinkers who may not be sure about their feelings towards scotch, while the vanilla-passion fruit will satisfy drinkers looking for a hint of sweetness without being cloying. And above all, these ingredients amplify the beautiful Oloroso and show the wide range of flavors with which sherry is compatible. Drinkers that already know and love sherry will be pleased to see how well it comes through in this combination. Imbibers that are new to sherry's virtues may be enticed by the other ingredients in this cocktail, but will, in turn, receive an inviting introduction to the world of sherry.