witch doctor

3/4 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)
1/4 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
2 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittercube Jamaican #2)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass pre-smoked with a sage leaf, add a large ice cube, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.Two Mondays ago, I reached for Trevor Felch's San Francisco Cocktails and spied the Witch Doctor created at the Linden Room. The combination of Cognac, mezcal, and Maraschino reminded me of the 1910 Cocktail, and the duo of Maraschino and Cynar made me think of the Bensonhurst. Luckily, my sage shrub had come back for the season so that I could finally make this drink properly. On the nose, I was greeted by grapefruit, smoke from both the mezcal and burned sage, and a hint of nutty cherry aromas. Next, grape and caramel on the sip flowed into Cognac, vegetal, and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow with a smoke and earthy finish.