Friday, March 30, 2018

up jumped the devil

1 oz Mezcal (Fidencio Espadin Joven)
1 oz Rhum Agricole Blanc (Rhum Clement Premiere Canne)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.

Two Friday nights ago, I learned that it was National Artichoke Day, and I started scheming a Cynar-laden nightcap for myself when I got home from work. My mind latched onto the combination of mezcal and rhum agricole that worked so memorably in the Miracles Take Longer, especially since both spirits work rather well individually with Cynar such as in the Midnight Maurader and Tomb of the Caribs, respectively. To round out the flavor profile, I added a touch of Green Chartreuse which worked elegantly with Cynar in drinks like the Toto as well as a few dashes of molé bitters to tie things together. For a name, the smoke and funk aspects made me think of the Nick Cave & the Bad Seed's song title Up Jumped the Devil.
Up Jumped the Devil began with an almost rubbery smoke and vegetal funk nose. Next, Cynar's caramel on the sip led into smoky agave, grassy, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a chocolate-tinged finish. While definitely an aggressive profile to match the name, I found the combination perfect for my mood that evening.

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