Modern Riff: Blood and Sand

I know you're thinking this is a sweater weather cocktail, but in this adaptation I use blood oranges, and you can still score some pretty tasty blood oranges this time of year in CA. The really interesting winter citrus starts popping up in late January, but can sometimes still be found as late as June in NorCal. People, listen up. This is why we live in California. Anyway, we're on the tail end of the season, but I still see blood oranges at Berkeley Bowl, so I think it still counts as seasonally appropriate.

-Blood and Sand-

1 oz peated single malt (Ledaig 10 year or Bruichladdich Heavily Peated)
.75 oz blood orange juice
.75 oz Punt e Mes
.75 oz Cherry Heering

Shake, double strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with blood orange wheel. 


Notes: The traditional recipe is equal parts for everything, and that leans a bit sweet for my taste. Many people use a blended scotch to make a Blood and Sand, but I like the play of smokey and sweet together, so I usually opt for something young and smokey. Please insert I like my whiskey like I like my women jokes here. The Punt e Mes is a spicy, more robust style of sweet vermouth that stands up to the orange juice and Cherry Heering. Be careful with substitutions.