witch from the west

1 1/2 oz Pig's Nose Scotch
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add ice, and stir to mix and chill. Garnish with an orange twist and add straws.

Two Wednesdays ago, Andrea and I made our way over to Firebrand Saints for dinner and found seats at Dave Erickson and Juan Mederos' bar. For a first drink, I asked Dave for the Witch from the West that he described was Juan's drink. Juan later explained that the witch in question was a girl who liked Scotch and would ask for cocktails to be made for her. This recipe went through 5 or 6 iterations before she like it, and the drink got its final name when she left him to go back West. Since Scotch and walnut are a natural pairing such as in the Expatriot and the Sentimental Gentleman, I was definitely willing to give this a go.
The Witch from the West presented an orange aroma that later displayed more dark notes once the citrus oil dissipated. Next, a grape sip from the Carpano Antica led into Scotch and walnut flavors on the swallow with a gentle vanilla finish.