In a shaker, muddle the strawberry pieces well. Add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice until chilled. Pour the contents of the shaker, unstrained, into a large rocks glass.

Glass

Rocks Glass

Ice

None

A riff on the classic Sazerac structure, this cocktail trades New Orleans tradition for something brighter and more immediate. Fresh strawberry softens the rye's spice while absinthe lends its herbal complexity, the two meeting somewhere between a whiskey sour and a fruit-forward aperitif. The lemon keeps it tart and lifted, with Angostura adding warm baking spice depth to the finish.