A few weeks ago, just before mixologist Sean Michael Johnson was selected as the Seattle finalist for Bombay Sapphire’s Search for the Most Imaginative Bartender, I was in Canon trying to decide what to have besides a Toronto. Nothing jumped to mind, so I punted to the bartender, which happened to be Johnson.

“What’s a good Fernet drink for someone who likes a Toronto?” I asked. A little while later, Johnson reappeared with a drink containing Fernet Branca, apple cognac, chocolate bitters, and a “little bit of simple.”

A savvy bartender, wary of Fernet Branca’s tendency to overpower a drink, will try to dial it back into balance, or match it with a bearded, barrel-chested alcohol that can go a few rounds.

But Johnson had doubled down on the low notes in the drink with his chocolate bitters, while the apple cognac felt light as a hummingbird in this context. In musical terms, it was a bit like pairing a double bass with a piccolo; my tastebuds were jostling themselves trying to shout out the flavors.

That’s the kind of thing that’ll get you noticed by a jaded U.S. Bartender’s Guild judge, so it’s not surprising that Johnson’s heading to Vegas for a September 8 bid at a national title. The winner gets, among other things, a cover feature in the December 2013 GQ magazine “Men of The Year” issue, and a shot at the Global Finals in 2014.

Here’s the drink Johnson poured that won him his Vegas title shot.

Julius Henry

1 1/2 ounce Bombay Sapphire Gin

1/2 ounce Aperol

2 dashes lime bitters

Cognac/Coriander Whip Cream Float*

-Combine Bombay, Aperol and lime bitters in a mixing glass, add ice and stir until cold. Strain into a cocktail/couple glass and top with Cognac/Coriander Whip Cream

*Cognac/Coriander Whip Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup powered sugar

3 ounces coriander infused cognac*

-Hand whip to desired consistency

*Coriander Infused Cognac

2 ounce (1/4 cup) – whole coriander seeds, lightly crushed

10 ounces cognac

-Let sit together in a mason jar for approximately two days