mugshot shawty

1 1/2 Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Strega

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice. No garnish needed — just let the liqueurs' aromatic spices and botanicals shine through. Two Sundays ago, I became inspired by the previous night's Burning Times of gin, Strega, Fernet, and bitters and wanted to tinker. Since Campari and Strega paired together rather well such as in the Rachel Wall and the Count's Swizzle, I turned this into a Ferrari (Fernet-Campari) adventure. For a spirit, I considered apple brandy, American whiskey, gin, or a split base, and I opted for Bourbon for it offered a rich and relatively smooth canvas to paint these bold liqueur flavors onto. The Italian trio of liqueurs made me think of organized crime which got me thinking of mugshots that led me to the phenomenon of attractive arrest photos, so I dubbed this one the Mugshot Shawty. Once assembled, the drink showcased caramel, fennel, and minty pine aromas. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip expanded into Bourbon, gentian, minty-menthol, orange, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.