A Cocktail Created by Madeline Dillon & Inspired by Autumn in the Hudson Valley
I was 20 years old or so when I learned that Damiana is said to have aphrodisiac properties. I used to mix it with other herbs and enjoy it as an herbal cigarette alongside a cup of coffee, welcoming autumn in the Hudson Valley. Warm clothes, warm bodies, the sweet smell of smoke in the air. The inspiration behind this cocktail, lovingly named “Smoke on my Sweater,” came from my memory of this very place. The sweet and bitter of nostalgia, the bare feet on the ground, and the smell of the earth. The name is a kiss.
Madeline Dillon
Ingredients
- 2 oz GEM&BOLT
- 3/4 oz fresh brewed coffee
- 1/2 oz pure maple syrup
- 3/4 oz aquafaba
- 3-4 coffee beans
- Dried organic damiana leaves
Directions
- Dry Shake the Aquafaba in a cocktail shaker, introducing it to air to create froth
- Add remaining ingredients & 2-3 ice cubes to the shaker & shake!
- Strain liquid into coup glass
- Using a mortar & pestle or otherwise, roughly grind 3-4 coffee beans
- Sprinkle the ground coffee & a small pinch of dried damiana atop the cocktail & enjoy!
For me, inspiration always flows from certain depths & sensory memories. Cocktail creation is art for me, it is both expressive & emotional. I’m often surprised at the places I return to for inspiration. If you were to ask me, ‘What’s in the name?’ I would tell you, ‘Bricks & moans. And words & feelings.’
Madeline Dillon
For more cocktail creations & inspiring words, follow @Mad_Dillion on Instagram.
