Boy, you never can tell what a little bit of absinthe will do to a cocktail. This one's delicious; "dry and angular" as noted, but somehow also rich and luscious. The rhum agricole is critical, and just to see what it would be like, I floated a small amount of white Rhum JM on top. Worked for me.
This is a keeper... I cut back a little on the agave and upped the duck wash, which suited my preferences. But it's that transition from the somewhat dominant (at first) tequila, through the different smoky flavors of the mezcal and whiskey, that makes it special. And these flavors seem to shift emphasis wonderfully with every sip.
What a nice addition to the roster of Negroni variations! With that unique sucking-on-a-penny tang of the Ferro China and the Aperol slightly mellowing Campari's bite, this one's a surprisingly harmonious keeper.
Picked up a bottle of Hendtick's "Orbium" gin, and thought this cocktail might work well with its notes of wormwood and quinine. Wow! Unlike anything else I've had... bitter, floral, and fascinatingly layered. I'll surely return for more.
Expected just a nice, tangy sour. But as I sip it, it gets a lot more interesting. Flavors remain distinct, but complement each other like instruments in a chamber piece. Strange way to put it, maybe, but that's what came to mind.
This is a great nightcap. It really needs a good, bold rye to hold up to the other intense flavors, and when it does... wow. Also seems to improve when a little dilution begins cutting the richness and the interplay of these unusual flavors emerges.
Extra dash
(thumbs-down was an error... it won't let me undo!}
Nice! Seemed strange to try a minty drink on this ice cold night in NY, but it's working just fine. You'd expect all the mint elements to make it sort of one-note, but there's real depth to it.
Don't ask me why, but I felt like a different kind of bright note might be nice, and 2 drops of cherry bitters did the trick. But even as directed, it's a pleasure.
Longtime lover of Islay malts here, only recently re-exploring cocktails as a change of pace. This hits both spots perfectly: a rich, smoky negroni variation that doesn't obscure the whisky's delights. Not surprised that peated malt isn't to everyone's taste, but for me it's a bull's-eye. Usually go with the given recipe, but when the Campari ran out I subbed an even mix of Braulio and Luxardo Bitter... still delicious.