The bar at Gaskins, a cozy tavern in the upstate New York hamlet of Germantown, is a pretty perfect place for autumn drinking. That’s where I discovered the Sharky: a rye-based cocktail made bracingly crisp with apple cider and a generous squeeze of lemon. The addition of your favorite amaro—Gaskins used Nardini—adds some bittersweet depth and sophistication.
Gaskins has removed this drink from its menu since I drank it there last year, but it lives on in my kitchen and those of my friends.
Pour yourself one while you prepare for Thanksgiving, or scale up the recipe and set out a pitcher for your guests. It’s 3 parts rye, 2 parts cider, 1 1/2 parts amaro, and 1 1/2 parts lemon.
A single Sharky
1 1/2 oz. rye
1 oz. fresh apple cider
3/4 oz. amaro
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Serve over ice, and repeat.
A pitcher of Sharkies
3 cups rye
2 cups fresh apple cider
1 1/2 cups amaro
1 1/2 cups lemon juice
Stir in a pitcher, pour over ice, and repeat.