devil's highway

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Arette Blanco at work, Cimarron Reposado at home)
1/2 oz Islay Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/2 oz Suze Gentian Liqueur
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens at work, Angostura Cocoa at home)

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a lemon twist (lemon oil only at work, twist at home).Two Saturdays ago, a guest at Drink requested a tequila and Scotch cocktail. I was a little thrown by that since folks that want agave and smoke usually just opt for mezcal, but I set off to craft something on the fly in an Old Fashioned direction. I was still thinking of the Vaquero's Suze-Benedictine combination, and I supplemented some of the sweetness with honey syrup. For a name, I later dubbed this the Devil's Highway after the Luis Alberto Urrea book. When I got home, I remade the drink for myself, and the Devil's Highway proffered a lemon, vegetal, and peat smoke aroma. Next, a honey-tinged sip drove into vegetal and herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoke and chocolate finish.