Deep Blue Sea

Deep Blue Sea cocktail with a lemon twist garnish

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Deep Blue Sea was created by Michael Madrusan in the early 2000's at Milk & Honey, the iconic New York bar. I discovered the recipe in The Cocktail Seminars.

The quinine in the kina aromatized wine takes the flavor profile away from the simple vermouth of the Martini and the crème de violette adds a floral note. The lemon garnish makes a definite contribution to the aroma. The crème de violette does not quite reach the depth of blue that the name suggests but it does achieve a delightful purple translucence that adds to the appeal. The result is perhaps a little sweeter than one would like in a stirred drink but not unpleasantly so.