Contract Killer

This was my losing drink for the Metaxa competition put on by Imbibe magazine. It is one that still gets ordered from time to time. Metaxa was unknown to me untill I bought it in the hopes of winning a trip to Greece. The name is perfect: one will never win a contract with a marketing company with 2 homemade ingredients, even if they're fairly commonplace at most scratch bars.

Contract Killer
1.25 oz Metaxa Seven Star
.5oz Real Pomegranate Grenadine
.5oz orange juice
.5oz lemon juice
.5oz Benedictine
.5oz egg white
7 drops Lavender Tincture

Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake dry to arouse the egg white. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain using a fine tea strainer into a chilled coupe. Garnish with single candied rose petal.

For Lavender Tincture-
1/2 cup edible lavender
1 cup 101 proof vodka (I used Smirnoff Blue label)
Steep for 5 days in a sterile jar shaking daily.
Strain through a coffee filter.

For Grenadine-
3 cups distilled water
3 cups pomegranate seeds
1 tsp. ea. vanilla/ orange flower water/ vodka

Bring water and seeds to a boil, then simmer for 10 min until sacs release the juice. Strain through a sieve covered with cheese cloth. Measure volume and bring to boil again. Stir in sugar at 2:1 ratio, or half as much sugar as pomogranate mixture. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients. Keep refrigerated.