black cat

1 oz Chichicapa Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
1/2 oz Hayman's Old Tom Gin
1/2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Lustau Dry Amontillado Sherry
1 tsp Sugarcane Syrup (2:1 Simple)
1 piece Grapefruit Peel

Muddle the grapefruit peel with syrup. Add rest of ingredients and ice, stir, and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a fresh grapefruit twist.

After purchasing a fresh bottle of Punt e Mes, it was time to tackle some more of the drinks in Beta Cocktails. After reading a few recipes to Andrea, the Black Cat was her favorite of the bunch. The drink was created by Nicholas Jarrett who bartends at the Clover Club, Dram, and Bushwick Country Club in Brooklyn and who I met at a bitters competition at Tales in 2009. The Black Cat is a reference to the Old Tom Gin's marketing image starting in the 18th century; interestingly, the Old Tom here is split between the milder and sweeter Hayman's and the spicier and aged Ransom product. In other splits, the base spirit is a split between mezcal and the gins and the wine portion is a split between sherry and Punt e Mes.
The Black Cat's grapefruit twist offered a fresh aroma over the smoke and agave nose. The grapefruit continued in the sip as a light citrus flavor from the muddled peel; after a few additional sips, grape notes began to enter into the picture. The swallow also had two phases. At first, the swallow was dominated by the mezcal. Over time, this faded and the spicy Ransom Old Tom Gin, the bitter Punt e Mes, and the nutty Amontillado ascended. Moreover, later in the drink, smoke and spice notes began to linger on the finish.