It’s no secret that Nole is a huge fan of St-Germain (and I don’t think it’s too shabby either), which makes our collaboration with St-Germain here a natural fit. Back when we first started our cocktail series, I was mixing up a lot of St-Germain and gin drinks for Nole, but I didn’t really consider any of the browns – it just didn’t seem like a very good fit. But it is! Here’s a drink that combines three of my favorite ingredients: rye, St-Germain, and a fantastic Italian lemon liqueur, Limoncello. â€“ Andrew

Illustration by Tuesday Bassen for Oh So Beautiful Paper

The Corsican

2 oz Rye Whiskey
1 oz St-Germain
1 oz Limoncello
2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters

Combine with ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist. Enjoy!

The St-Germain and Limoncello are both sweet liqueurs, and together they risk making a drink that’s cloyingly sweet. But they’re balanced here by the oaky, spicy heat of the rye, which let’s the floral and citrus flavors of the liqueurs shine through. It’s smooth and sweet and rich, perfect to have just before or just after a great meal.

Limoncello is a liqueur made by infusing lemon peels – specifically, a type of lemon grown around Sorrento, Italy, (which you might recall we’ve mentioned before) in neutral spirits, with lots of sugar thrown in for good measure. It’s like drinking the pure soul of Lemon. It’s good. Italians serve it ice cold, in tiny glasses as a digestif after a meal, but I see no reason not to throw it into a cocktail or two.

Oh, and the name? Well, you see, Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor extraordinaire, was born into a minor Italian noble family on the French-controlled island of Corsica. Rising all the way from humble Italian origins to the top of the French political food chain, he was known by his detractors as “the Corsican Upstart.” And since this drink combines Italian Limoncello with, you know, St-Germain, which is, well, made from French elderflowers… this joke was a lot funnier in my head.

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

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