bold proposition

2 oz Hayman's Old Tom Gin
1 oz Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur
1 oz Punt e Mes
Laphroaig (Rinse)

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass pre-rinsed with Scotch.

While Andrea and I were enjoying our respective cocktails, the Mémé and Paper Mill, Andrea realized that both were created by Rick, so she asked Matt what cocktails on the menu were his. Besides the ones on the current menu, he mentioned that all 9 cocktails from the Restaurant Week menu were his (including the Armada) and he wanted to make us his favorite of the bunch, the Bold Proposition. Not only was the drink bold, it was complex and changed over time. The first sensation was the peaty-smoky smell from the Laphroaig rinse. Upon tasting it, the grape of the Punt e Mes stood out in the first part of the sip and this was followed by the pine and juniper of the Zirbenz and gin on the swallow. As the drink warmed up, the cocktail became more bitter with a greater smoky aftertaste. Moreover, it surprised us how the pine notes decayed or perhaps mutated as the drink came closer to room temperature. With the change in temperature, it had morphed into a different beast. The Bold Proposition certainly lived up to its name, indeed.