fireside chat

1 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch, add a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I spied an Old Fashioned variation in a set of online recipe flashcards called the Fireside Chat that seemed to complement the cold weather outside. The drink was created at Clyde's in Alexandria, Virginia, and it appeared on their Fall 2023 menu via both the information from the cards and an old online menu. While the Cognac-mezcal duo reminded me of the 1910 Cocktail, the maple-allspice dram combination has been enjoyed several times before in drinks like the French Toast Flip and Orchard. Moreover, the whole mix was similar to the Armagnac-containing Black Powder from the Death & Co. Welcome Home book. Once prepared, the Fireside Chat conjured up orange, peat smoke, and maple aromas to the nose. Next, a rich, caramelized sip flowed into Cognac, agave, maple, and allspice flavors on the swallow with a smoke and orange finish.