twelve five

1 1/2 oz Blended Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Absinthe or Herbsaint (Herbsaint)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I reached for Jeff Mason and Greg Boehm's The Big Bartender Book and spotted the Twelve Five by Jamie Boudreau. I tracked down the recipe to Jamie's Spirits And Cocktails blog in December 2007 for the Mixology Monday XXII event with a Prohibition theme. This drink named after the date of repeal day and created before Jamie opened the Canon in 2011 reminded me of Frank Caiafa's Bobby Burns riff, Tale of Two Roberts, but with Punt e Mes instead of regular sweet vermouth and a substantial absinthe quotient. In the glass, the Twelve Five opened up with a lemon, Scotch, and anise aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip released Scotch, bitter herbal, and anise flavors on the swallow.