shruff's end

1 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.

After my Sunday night shift two weeks ago, I needed a nightcap and the Death & Co. Cocktail Book seemed to fit the billing for what might satisfy me. The Shruff's End from Phil Ward circa 2008 was the straight spirits number that appeared like it could scratch that itch. Shruff is an a century old or so term for "rubbish" and a drink name connoting the end to nonsense seemed even more appropriate as a workweek topper. Phil described how "Benedictine can make almost any two ingredients love each other," and I have noted that it has worked rather well taming difficult spirits like Batavia Arrack in the Soekarno, bridging the gap between ingredients that hate each other like Bourbon and lime in the Junior, and bring harmony in even gentle spirits like in the Town Crier. It is hard to believe that Scotch and apple brandy do not love each other for they have worked so well in the past in several drinks including the Little Rebel.
The Shruff's End presented apple and smoke notes on the nose, and the sip was mostly the Scotch's malt. Things got more interesting in the swallow with the Scotch being lightened by the apple flavors and lingering herbal notes.