Kentucky Colonel

Today was a long day. Last night I was up at 2:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. to change, feed, rock, and change Piper. That girl knows how to fill a diaper.

Once we were up for good, and after we both showered, I ran to get diapers and wipes because Piper goes through them so fast and, although we ordered more online, we received an e-mail saying the diapers and wipes would not be delivered today as scheduled. But you guessed it, the diapers and wipes were delivered (and served as a cocktail table) as scheduled.

At about 4:00 p.m., after a handful of episodes of The Americans, I got the urge to make a cocktail. I wanted to use the newest addition to my bar: Benedictine. Rather than discuss Benedictine's history (it allegedly dates back to the 1500s) what you really need to know about Benedictine is that it is a herbaceous liqueur that adds a lot of depth and also some nice velvety mouth feel. It's hard to say Benedictine is like any other liqueur but it's herbaceous like Chartreuse.

Also, I believe -- though I am not positive -- that Benedictine, like Chartreuse, is one of very few spirits that actually ages in the bottle. That is, if you buy a 25 year-old bottle of scotch, and drink it 5 years later, it isn't a 30 year-old bottle of scotch. The scotch doesn't develop while it is in a glass bottle. Rather, the scotch was aged for 25 years in a barrel, where it interacted with the wood and evaporated. (Note that wine is different. Wine can age in a bottle because oxygen can penetrate a cork). But if you buy a bottle of Benedictine and let it sit in your liquor cabinet, it will taste different (better?) than when you opened it.

After a few sips of my Kentucky Colonel I'd recommend the drink to someone who enjoys a Sazerac. The rye, bitters, and sugar in a Sazerac are similar to the spicy, herbaceous, sweetness of Benedictine. I really enjoyed the drink and will definitely put it into my rotation.

It was good that I got to enjoy my Kentucky Colonel around 4:00 because as I was finishing it Piper began a cycle of crying and pooping.

Kentucky Colonel

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 ounce Benedictine

Shake; serve over crushed ice.