smokey hollander

1 1/2 oz Genever (Bols)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Agave Nectar (1:1 Agave Syrup)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Thursdays ago, I ventured into the 75th anniversary Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide and spotted the Smokey Hollander. The recipe was crafted by Chris Hannah who was still at Arnaud's French 75 in New Orleans at the time. The only other reference to the drink that I could uncover was in a 2012 StarChefs article with a photo showing the Smokey Hollander being served in a snifter glass with ice and the caption declaring muddled strawberries as an additional ingredient. Chris' recipes can drift over time, but I kept with the simplicity of this Genever-mezcal Sour without the berries. Once prepared, the Smokey Hollander donated a lemon oil and malty aroma with a hint of smoke to the nose. Next, the lemon and malt continued on into the sip, and the swallow followed up with sweeter Genever notes blending into sharper vegetal mezcal ones.