nazgul negroni

1 1/2 oz Russell Reserve Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Averna
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur (Russo Nocino)
1 dash Fee's Black Walnut Bitters (2 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs Walnut)

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Saturdays ago, I was going through the screen captures on my phone, and I spotted the recipe for the Nazgûl Negroni from Backbar in Somerville that they posted on Instagram in December 2023 to support their Lord Of The Rings menu. While I have had American whiskey and walnut liqueur with Averna such as in the recent Left Hand of Darkness and with Cynar such as in the Bitter Branch, I have never tried the two amari with nocino in the same glass. Here, the Nazgûl Negroni opened up with Bourbon, caramel, herbal, and earthy aromas. Next, the Averna and Cynar's caramel filled the sip, and the swallow rounded things off with Bourbon, vegetal, herbal, and walnut flavors on the swallow.