Lord of Misrule
During the late medieval and early Tudor periods, the Lord of Misrule was a lowly citizen who had a reputation for drinking and revelry, who was appointed to plan and preside over Christmastide activities. The Lord’s reign would have gone from Christmas through Twelfth Nigh / Epiphany (January 5/6) and sometimes through Candlemas (February 2). This is an ancestor of the Carnival that’s still best observed stateside in New Orleans; that season begins on Epiphany / Kings’ Day and runs through the eve of Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of Lent. Just as with Carnival, the atmosphere was joyous and had an air of wild Bacchanalia. This was a time when the social order was turned upside down — gender was obscured with people wearing clothes that didn’t correspond with their assigned gender and the lowest on the social spectrum acted as mock noblemen.
This, the eponymous cocktail in this series of three drinks harkens back to classic Christmas flavors going back to Tudor times—orange, pine, walnut, and apple—plus the maltiness of the genever and Scotch.
INGREDIENTS
1 oz. genever
¾ oz. blended Scotch
¾ oz amontillado sherry
½ oz. walnut liqueur (or nocino)
1 teaspoon boiled cider
2 dashes orange bitters
ABV LEVEL
Combine all in a mixing glass. Fill mixing glass three-quarters full with ice. Stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. No garnish.
