Japanese Cocktail

A brandy stirred down with almond-rich orgeat and a measure of aromatic bitters, finished with expressed lemon oils — round and nutty over a dry spirit spine. Jerry Thomas published it in his 1862 bartender's guide, reportedly to mark Japan's first diplomatic mission to the United States, and it stands as one of his signature original creations. Notably, it was among the earliest cocktails to lean on a fancy sweetener rather than plain sugar; the original called for the now-defunct Boker's cardamom bitters.