In 1922, Rudolph Valentino starred in Blood and Sand, a silent drama about a famous matador who becomes distraught and reckless, then dies in the ring.
A cocktail of the same name came along a few years later and was made of blended Scotch, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, and blood orange juice—resulting in a red hue reminiscent of the bullfighter’s untimely demise.
Brandon’s Palm Beach at the Tideline Resort, reinvents the cocktail with a riff called Blood and Sandals. It substitutes blood orange juice with standard orange, replaces Cherry Heering with juice from Filthy cherries, and adds sparkling wine. “We’re on the beach, so we wanted to make the drink more refreshing,” says lead bartender Ivan Ramirez.
Blood and Sandals
- ¾ oz. Dewar’s White Label
- ½ oz. orange juice
- ½ oz. Carpano Antica vermouth
- 2 brandied cherries
- Splash of sparkling wine
Muddle cherries, then add them to a shaker with ice and remaining ingredients. Shake until frosted on the outside, then double strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish: The original version calls for a flamed orange zest. Brandon’s uses one to add another layer of flavor to the drink, but omits it from the final presentation. Their cocktail is garnished with orange slices accented with aromatic bitters and dehydrated in house.
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