the bottom line

1 1/2 oz Highland Park 18 Year Scotch (1 oz Highland Park Cask Strength Batch #2 + 1/2 oz Water)
1 oz Manzanilla Sherry (Tio Pepe Fino)
3/4 oz Barenjager Honey Liqueur
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice.Two Wednesdays ago, I was searching the KindredCocktails database for Amaro Ciociaro and sherry recipes when I came across The Bottom Line by San Francisco bartender Kevin Diedrich. The recipe was sourced from a 2022 Liquor.com article where it described, "But sometimes it can be a lot of fun, albeit pricey fun, to grab a premium scotch and make a drink with it... [and] That's what San Francisco bar pro Kevin Diedrich did with The Bottom Line." While I did not have the costly 18 year, I did have the slightly less expensive cask strength Highland Park Release #2, and the proof worked out perfectly with a 2 parts full strength to 1 part water to match the elder's 86° (Note: I received the partial bottle of cask strength at a Highland Park bitters making class as a gift from the brand ambassador in April 2022 ). Once prepared, The Bottom Line welcomed the senses with a honey-floral bouquet. Next, a semi-crisp sip with honey notes flowed into smoky Scotch, honey, and dark orange bitter flavors on the swallow.