Al Sotack’s spec for the pre-Prohibition Irish whiskey cocktail gives plenty of space for the modifiers—dry vermouth and Bénédictine—to play off the base. It features an unusual structure in which the measure of vermouth is reduced and the liqueur gets equal billing, making the drink less like its more famous Scotch cousin, the Bobby Burns, and more like a modified Old-Fashioned.
Al Sotack’s Brainstorm
Al Sotack | Brooklyn, NY
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- 1/2 ounce dry vermouth, preferably Dolin
- 1/2 ounce Bénédictine
Garnish: lemon twist (discarded)
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.
- Add ice, and stir to chill.
- Strain into a chilled coupe.
- Express a lemon twist over the drink, then discard the peel.