Abbot of Unreason
This is third in my Lords of Misrule series. The Abbot of Unreason, which the Scottish title for the Lord of Misrule. I’m very interested in a couple of aspects of this drink as broader themes in cocktail history and drink development. 1. Fizzy drinks that have a stirred, rather than shaken, base; a subgenre for which it’s far less easy to find examples in the Olde Books 2. How we can take frequently-used flavor combinations (orange and chocolate, banana-nut, apple and cinnamon, etc.) and use them as subtle underpinnings for complex cocktails. I split the spirituous base between round, malty Irish whiskey and an unusual rye (though any good-quality rye will do). I also split the liqueur between the classic Cognac-based orange liqueur, Grand Marnier, and an excellent crème de cacao, for a chocolate-orange flavor befitting one of wintry holidays. Dried out with Champagne and flavored with Angostura and walnut bitters, this one came out as quite balanced indeed.
INGREDIENTS
¾ oz. Irish whiskey, preferably single malt
½ oz. rye whiskey, preferably rum-cask-finished
¼ oz. Grand Marnier or other good-quality orange liqueur
¼ oz. crème de cacao
3 dashes Angostura bitters
3 dashes black walnut bitters
2 oz. Champagne or other dry sparkling wine, to top
ABV LEVEL
Combine all but Champagne in a mixing glass. Fill mixing glass three-quarters full with ice. Stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe. Express the oils from a lemon peel over surface of the drink. Discard peel. Top with about 2 oz. Champagne.
