[great king street]

3/4 oz Great King Street Blended Scotch
3/4 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1 barspoon Crème de Mûre
1 dash Mole Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Twist a lemon peel over the top and discard.

Two Wednesdays ago, Andrea and I ventured over to Craigie on Main. For a starter, bartender Jared Sadoian suggested a Manhattan (or Red Hook) variation he was working on that utilized a new blended Scotch from Compass Box. He said that they were so pleased with the Great King Street Scotch that it might replace Johnnie Walker Black Label at the restaurant. When I was given a taste, I was impressed at how the soft the malt notes were such that it reminded me of an Irish whiskey, albeit one with a moderate amount of smoke notes.
The drink began with a lemon oil aroma that later gained smoke and grape accents. The grape notes did appear early on the sip though from a combination of the Punt e Mes and Cardamaro. Moreover, the Punt e Mes and Cardamaro's bitter notes played a large role on the swallow along with the Scotch's peated smoke. Finally, the drink's finish showcased the Maraschino and blackberry; as the drink warmed up, the blackberry began to play a greater role in the flavor balance.