chasing ghosts

1 oz Ilegal Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Luxardo Mararschino
1/2 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umburana)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the Bardtenders' folder on the Spec App and spotted the Chasing Ghosts listed without attribution. With a little searching, I found the recipe on the podcast's Instagram page in 2025 listing the creator Audrey Ludlam. Audrey was on the show in 2023 when she was at the Black Sheep in Bellingham, Washington, that served up tacos and agave drinks, which makes sense given the ingredients. Here, the split base with mezcal accented by Maraschino and a vermouth reminded me of the 1910 Cocktail. Moreover, the mezcal and aged cachaça have worked well together in drinks like the Veldt and the Adorable Bartender, so I was curious to give this one a go. In the glass, the Chasing Ghosts offered up orange, nutty cherry, amburana wood spice, and smoke aromas to the nose. Next, a semi-sweet sip with a hint of cherry blossomed into vegetal, grassy, cherry, and cinnamon-like spice flavors on the swallow.