in 2 deep

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolón)
3/4 oz Ginger Liqueur (King's Ginger)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1 barspoon Fernet Branca (1/8 oz)
2 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

The other drink we had two Wednesdays ago was the In 2 Deep from Left Coast Libations. The recipe was created by Kevin Diedrich who used to be the bar manager at the Burrit Room in San Francisco before moving on to Jasper's Corner Tap. We had not made this drink previously since our sample nips of Domaine de Canton were running low; however, I was quite impressed by the King's Ginger at the No. 3 Gin launch (perhaps even more so than the gin itself) -- impressed enough to buy a bottle. While that was the first time I tasted it neat, I was first introduced to the Scotch-based liqueur at Tales of the Cocktail this year via Jackson Cannon's Flip Royal. At a little over forty dollars a bottle, the King's Ginger is pricier than Domaine de Canton, but it packs more ginger punch and less syrupy sweetness.
The orange twist in the In 2 Deep dominated the nose at first until the oils dissipated and the tequila began to take over. The sip was a slightly sweet grape flavor that led into the Punt e Mes' bitter and the tequila's agave notes at the beginning of the swallow. Toward the end of the swallow, the tequila morphed into ginger, and lingering Fernet and orange flavors rounded out the drink on the aftertaste.