For Chall Grey, proprietor of Little Jumbo in Asheville, North Carolina, even a mere quarter-ounce of peated Scotch can create “an entire completely different ambiance for a drink.”
With these whiskies, small doses make an influence. Most frequently, peated Scotch is floated on prime of a cocktail; the Penicillin is the best-known instance. One other widespread approach is to pair the ingredient with one other spirit, which helps average the smoky affect with out burying it altogether. The most typical mixture is peated Scotch plus a mellow, unpeated whiskey, which could imply a blended Scotch, or an Irish or American counterpart. Much less continuously, peated Scotch is paired with spirits exterior the whiskey canon, as in Sasha Petraske’s tequila-based Si-Güey or Brian Evans’ Winterized Negroni.
Peated Scotch additionally holds its personal in opposition to wealthy or candy elements, equivalent to egg whites, syrups or liqueurs. Grey makes use of each in his tackle the Amaretto Bitter, The Wind-Up, which showcases each peated and unpeated whiskey alongside amaretto, orgeat and egg white. In Tommy Klus’ smoky Boulevardier riff, the French Connection, in the meantime, the spirit is balanced by candy vermouth and the gentian liqueur Avèze.
Then there are the wildcards. At Tusk Bar in New York, the Bloody Mary may be made with any spirit, however bar supervisor Tristan Brunel says “peated Scotch whisky is a secret menu merchandise right here at Tusk, and for the extra adventurous bloody drinker, it elevates the savory parts to an entire new stage.”