monaco friar

2 oz Scotch (1 3/4 oz Pig's Nose + 1/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/2 oz Benedictine
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in a rocks glass, add ice, stir, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Two Wednesdays ago, I was in the mood for a nightcap so I ventured into Food & Wine: Cocktails 2012 and spotted the Monaco Friar in the riffs on the Old Fashioned section. The recipe was created by Anthony Schmidt at the Noble Experiment in San Diego, and I was drawn into the drink for I had similar utilized Benedictine as a sweetener in a round of 'Ti Punch for my guests that week. Moreover, it reminded me of the middle ground between a Rusty Nail and a Bobby Burns. The recipe also bears a resemblance to the Highlander (2 oz Johnnie Walker Red, 1/4-1/2 oz Benedictine, 2 dash Angostura Bitters served up with a lemon twist) created by Paul Harrington and published in his 1998 Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century book. Anthony explained his recipe as "I love how the honey and herbal qualities of the Benedictine pair with a fine Scotch... It's a perfect drink during the colder months."
The Monaco Friar greeted me with a lemon and peat bouquet. Next, a honey and malt sip gave way to smoky Scotch and chocolate-herbal flavors on the swallow with an allspice finish.