OK, this cocktail recipe looks to me, at least at first glance, like it has a bit of the “kitchen sink” thing going on. But according to Mr. C., it is an absolutely delicious adult beverage. A happy meeting of several different flavors which result in a very complex taste.

Now for me, taking even a sip of this drink would bring me nothing but unhappiness. I am a true wimp when it comes to most mixed drinks. I like gin, vodka, and on occasion tequila (as long as it comes in the form of a really good Margarita). Other than that, I’m pretty darn boring when it comes to alcoholic concoctions. Mr. C. on the other hand loves to play mixologist and sample, then perfect drinks that include unusual liquors, liqueurs, and additives.

So this recipe is direct from the resident drink mix master. Thanks honey. But no thanks to one of these instead of a martini!

And special thanks to Andy’s sister Katie and husband Rick for the gift bottle of Xocalatl. Looking for drinks that used this ingredient led to the discovery of this special cocktail. Chin-chin.

½ oz. rye whiskey

½ oz. bourbon

½ oz. calvados

½ oz. cognac

¼ oz. simple sugar syrup

2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters*

1 dash Xocolatl Mole bitters***

6 or so ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and strain into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange and lemon peel twist.
  
*Per Wikipedia – “Peychaud’s Bitters is a bitters distributed by the American Sazerac Company. It was originally created around 1830 by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) who settled in New Orleans in 1795. It is a gentian** based bitters, comparable to Angostura bitters, but with a predominant anise aroma combined with a background of mint.  Peychaud’s Bitters is the definitive component of the Sazerac Cocktail.”

** Gentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family, the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their mostly large, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are often of an intense blue.

***Combination of cacao, cinnamon, and spice.

Note about bitters:  

According to vinepair.com, “bitters are the slightly confusing name given to a class of liquor-based flavoring agents used for everything from stomachaches to cocktail recipes (confusing because they’re not necessarily bitter).”