Adonis

Fino or manzanilla for the crisp, faintly saline version most people mean. Amontillado makes it nuttier and heavier, which some prefer in cold weather. Steer clear of anything labeled cream or medium; they're sweetened, and there's already 45 ml of sweet vermouth in the glass.

Days, not months. Fino and manzanilla are barely more robust than white wine once air reaches them, so three to five days in the fridge with the cork rammed back in is realistic. Buy half bottles. Tired sherry tastes of wet cardboard and ruins the drink.

Sweet vermouth makes it an Adonis, dry makes it a Bamboo, and that single swap is the whole distinction. Sweet brings red fruit, vanilla and warm spice, so the drink reads round and autumnal. Dry leaves the sherry exposed, lean and faintly saline. Same sherry, same measures, opposite mood.

It can, and plenty of Spanish bars pour it that way. Both ingredients sit near 15 to 18 percent, so ice dilutes proportionally further than it would in a spirit drink. One large cube, a wide swathe of orange or lemon peel, and finish it before it goes to water.

A classic Adonis calls for 45 ml (1.5 oz) Dry sherry, 45 ml (1.5 oz) Sweet vermouth, 2 dashes orange bitters Orange bitters. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

A standard Adonis is roughly 17% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.

An Adonis is shaken. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.