Mixing Up the Left Coast, week 10 (part 2)

Here you go, part 2 of the Mixing up the Left Coast for week 10. This one goes out to our Padawan A, who loves Laphroig. Hopefully this will inspire him to purchase a bottle instead of drinking the one in the Gindicate Test Kitchen. This cocktail is again from Mr. Jimmy Patrick from the SF Bay Area.

William Orange

1 ½ oz Highland single malt scotch

½ oz Grand Marnier

½ oz Orgeat
½ oz Lime juice
1 drop Absinthe
1 drop Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters

Sprig mint (garnish)

Shake all ingredients over ice, strain into a old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with sprig of mint.
There are a lot of scotches out there and the choice you make for this recipe will greatly determine how this cocktail comes out. We only had Laphroaig and it is a peat monster! It made the aroma and the flavor very peaty and overwhelming. The Laphroaig has a smoky quality that hid our wimpy mint and gave the flavor a slightly medicinal taste when added to the absinthe. It was like sweet campfire juice.

Then we used St. George’s Single Malt whiskey and everything was amazing! The aroma was woody and minty, the flavor sweet but with a great whiskey kick. It allowed the absinthe to settle into the aroma and not overpower the rest of the cocktail. It was delicious! This is a drink we love and highly recommend!

Cheers!