Trident

Aquavit, Cynar, dry sherry, and peach bitters in equal parts — Hess's 2002 DrinkBoy.com creation, Cynar (Venice, 1952) and sherry framing aquavit's Nordic heritage.

The Trident was created by Seattle-based bartender, writer, and educator Robert Hess in 2002 and published on his influential website DrinkBoy.com, which was among the first dedicated cocktail resources on the internet and helped establish Hess as a central figure in the early craft cocktail revival. The recipe is a three-way equal combination of aquavit, Cynar artichoke amaro, and dry sherry, finished with peach bitters — a formula that draws on three entirely distinct spirits traditions to produce a drink of unusual depth and coherence. Aquavit, produced in Scandinavia since at least the 15th century, provides the caraway-forward grain spirit base. Cynar, the artichoke-based Italian amaro first produced in Venice in 1952 by Angelo Dalle Molle, contributes savory, earthy bitterness. Dry sherry — produced in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry appellation of Andalusia from Palomino grapes and aged under a layer of yeast called flor — provides oxidative nutty complexity and an umami depth unique to the fino or dry amontillado styles. Peach bitters bridge these three components, its stone-fruit aromatic quality connecting the aquavit's herbal warmth, the Cynar's caramel-bitterness, and the sherry's dry fruit notes into a coherent whole. The Trident spread through the global bartending community following its online publication and became a benchmark cocktail for demonstrating aquavit's potential as a cocktail base spirit rather than simply a heritage novelty.