Star Cocktail

Building a great cocktail sometimes means knowing which ingredients to put on a pedestal, and the Star Cocktail does just that for apple brandy. We're talking about a spirit with history, and this cocktail respects it. My collection features Laird's Straight Apple Brandy, a bonded American original that delivers a pure, assertive apple character without being overly sweet. It's the perfect backbone against the rich, spiced notes of a classic Italian sweet vermouth like Cocchi Vermouth di Torino. The structure is simple, almost like an apple-based Manhattan, but the split bitters base of Angostura and Peychaud's is where the real fun begins, adding a layer of nuanced complexity. This isn't just a list of cocktail ingredients; it's a curated set of bottles from my own home bar, chosen to build a drink with surprising depth from a straightforward recipe. With these specific craft spirits from the House of Bitter Bear collection, you get a balanced, aromatic drink that’s both familiar and completely its own. Anders Erickson would tell you it's a perfect example of how thoughtful spirit selection makes all the difference.