Thornton Watermelon Cocktail

Post-Tales of the Cocktail finds my bar is filled with all manners of liquors, cordials, mixers, and miscellany. The vast majority of which requires Googling and consultation with all manners of cocktail books to determine what to do with it. Normally, my favorite flavored vodka is gin; but this bottle of Belvedere Lemon Tea vodka has an interesting subdued flavor. Problem is, I couldn't think of anything to do with it.

The normal roster of vodka drinks (Greyhound, Screwdriver, Moscow Mule, etc...) would have obscured the citrus in the vodka. I needed something to contrast with the vodka.  I happened to be smoking some ribs and was already thinking of  traditional accompaniments to ribs. Iced tea and watermelon are two standards at a barbecue. Luckily, like any well rounded kitchen, I had a mason jar of homemade watermelon syrup in the fridge that we scored on a trip to the Delta. I assume you do as well.

This combination of flavors just made sense but with the added benefit of being delicious. The watermelon syrup adds a nice viscosity to the dink, while the orange bitters and lime juice help to sharpen the drink without enforcing their acidic will.

Thornton Watermelon

3 oz Belvedere Lemon Tea Vodka
1 oz watermelon syrup*
1/4 oz of lime juice
3 dashes of Orange Bitters

Combine the above in a mixing glass. Add ice. Shake for fourteen and one quarter revolutions of the Beatles White album. Strain into a chilled coupe.

* You probably don't have a mason jar of homemade watermelon syrup because you are an anti-Luddite. This is ok. Squeeze chunks of watermelon until you get a half cup of watermelon juice. Add a 1/4 cup of sugar and warm while stirring. Once mixture has reduced by half, strain and cool. That ought to be close enough.