el scotch presidente

(1 1/2 oz) Famous Grouse Scotch
(1/2 oz) Dolin Dry Vermouth
(1/2 oz) Mathilde XO Orange Liqueur
(1 bar spoon) Grenadine
1 dash Smoking Ban Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Measurements in parenthesis are based on a possible recipe for this drink (not based on visually observed or inquired data, but based on taste and splitting the difference between the 6:1:1 and 2:1:1 recipes I found).

For my after dinner drink at Rendezvous, I asked Scott to make me a Scotch cocktail. Mr. Holiday decided to make an intriguing Scotch variation of the otherwise rum-based El Presidente using the rather floral Dolin dry vermouth and an exquisite orange liqueur made from aged Cognac. The end result was a splendid combination of melony and smoky flavors. The latter was due to the Scotch and perhaps the bitters, while the former was from the interplay of the grenadine and orange liqueur. Scott thought that the floral notes in the Dolin could have also intensified the melon tastes I was experiencing.