Flipped Umami Cocktail

Every once in a while, a flavor sneaks up on you and flips your palate upside down. Back when I was handed “umami” as my flavor by the Pat and Alyssa for their fundraiser, Elements of Taste, I stared down the challenge like a pop quiz I didn’t study for, but somehow still aced it. Some cucumber wheels, a few drops of sesame oil, a touch of saline, and sake later, the Umami Cocktail was born. Years later, the folks at Dented Brick Distillery sent me a vodka so layered, so quietly savory, it prac...