Thursday, December 8, 2011

williams

2/3 Scotch (2 oz Famous Grouse + 1 barspoon Laphroaig 10)
2 dash Yellow Chartreuse (1/2 oz)
2 dash Dry Vermouth (1/2 oz Noilly Prat)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Tuesday last week, I skimmed my copy of Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 looking for that evening's nightcap. When I spotted the Williams, it appeared like a 3-2-1 with Scotch in place of the rye. I interpreted the book's vague proportions to mean two thirds Scotch and one third a split of Yellow Chartreuse and dry vermouth which would make it a bit drier than the 3-2-1.
The Williams began with a peaty aroma from the Scotch and minty notes from the Yellow Chartreuse. The light herbal sip showcased the Scotch's malt notes as well, and the Scotch's smoke appeared at the beginning of the swallow. Next, the swallow ended with the bulk of Yellow Chartreuse's flavor along with orange notes from the bitters. Overall, the Williams was a better balanced drink for my palate than the 3-2-1 in terms of sweetness, and the extra smokey notes in the mix did not hurt either.

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