the departed

1 oz El Dorado 12 Year Rum
1 oz Campari
3/4 oz Averna
1/2 oz Mezcal (Sombra)
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.
Two Tuesdays ago, Imbibe Magazine's blog posted a supplementary recipe to their March/April 2018 issue, and that drink was The Departed by Toronto bartender Sandy de Almeida. Its amari with a hint of mezcal at the end reminded me of a few cocktails including the Devil's Soul (with a smoky Scotch drink of similar format and name being the Devil's Backbone), so I was definitely curious. Once prepared, The Departed provided an orange and caramel nose. Next, the caramel from the rum and Averna continued on into the sip, and the swallow shared rum and bitter orange flavors that transitioned into smoke notes. Over time, the mezcal became more apparent with hints of smoke on the nose and agave flavors on the swallow.