Adam Szucs, who serves as beverage director at Seaport mezze bar and cocktail lounge Committee, wanted to make a cocktail that showed off a bold, robust flavor yet remained low in alcohol. “Everyone is concentrating on what the strongest drink is,” he tells us. “That’s not the point: the flavor is.”

To remedy that tendency to make a beeline for whatever has the highest proof, nuance be damned, Szucs created The Cherry Pie. The drink sounds homely but incorporates two liqueurs from afar: Cherry Heering and Becherovka.

Danish import Cherry Heering is a cherry liqueur, as you might guess from the name. Becherovka, which hails from the Czech Republic, is a little more mysterious: Originally formulated to cure stomach ailments, its recipe calls for over 40 kinds of herbs and spices. Szucs identifies cinnamon, apple, and anisette as some of Becherovka’s more prominent flavors.

The end result is easy-drinking and remarkably simple to prepare. The liqueurs find a sweet and sour counterweight in simple syrup and fresh lemon juice, and the whole drink is completed with just a simple swizzle over crushed ice. The Cherry Pie is bright, citrusy, and refreshing, but it comes with a powerful kick of uncommon flavor.

“The alcohol percentage is very low, but it’s intense,” says Szucs.

The Cherry Pie
1½ ounces Becherovka
¾ ounce Cherry Heering
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup
Mint sprigs and powdered sugar, for garnish

Add ingredients to a snifter or Collins glass filled with crushed ice and swizzle. Garnish with mint sprigs and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve.