devil's soul

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Sombra Mezcal
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz St. Germain
1/4 oz Aperol

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

After the Sangre du Nord, I decided upon finding a nightcap in Gary Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails 2012. When I spotted the Devil's Soul by Ted Kilgore, I was intrigued for we have enjoyed all of his recipe since I made his Revival three years ago. Moreover, the split rye and mezcal spirit is a combination that worked well in Stephen Cole's Racketeer and Thomas Waugh's Red Ant.
The Devil's Soul began with an orange-Aperol and rye aroma with a hint of mezcal's smokiness. The sweet, slightly fruity sip was chased by a rye swallow that ended with herbal bitterness, floral notes, and smoke.