Blackberries, Neat

This drink is my first entry to the Christiania Crowns vodka cocktail contest. This round's theme is blackberries, a familiar sight here in the late summer heat of northern Virginia. My submission is streamlined, relying on two simple but key flavor elements -- the vodka and the blackberries -- complemented by the bitters.

For the sugared blackberry garnish, toss fresh blackberries with freshly squeezed lemon juice, then spear on a toothpick and roll in superfine sugar.

Blackberries, Neat

3 oz Christiania vodka

3 dashes Peychaud's bitters

1/4 oz blackberry syrup, chilled

Shake vodka and bitters with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Add syrup, which will pool in the bottom of the glass. Garnish with sugared blackberries.