Hey! We made it! I don’t know about you all but once again this week just took it out of me. But at least we’ve got college basketball to keep us company in the afternoon while we pretend to work. Even I get sucked into it, and I know fuck all/have watched zero games this season. Yet, I always fill out a bracket in the vain hopes that I somehow fall ass backwards into success, or create the worst possible bracket while hoping for upset chaos. Either way, it’s still better than doing actual work on a Friday.

Anyway you need a drink while watching the games right? Well good news! I’ve got an easy 2 ingredient prohibition era drink that should be strong enough to get you through that upset you didn’t see coming, or to celebrate the upset you picked that torpedoed the rest of your pool. It’s called the Frisco and it comes from Please Don’t Tell.

Frisco

2 oz. Old Potrero Hotaling’s Rye Whiskey (I used Rittenhouse)

.5 oz. Benedictine.

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist. 

There is a very strong citrus aroma up front. I find it surprising that the lemon took over as much as it did here.

When I take a sip, The first thing I can think of is bold. This this is very, very strong. The lemon that is teased on the nose is nowhere to be found. The familiar rye flavors start off, but are overshadowed by the Benedictine.

The liqueur seems to take a second to mellow the rye out. It’s still strong, there’s no mistaking the fact that this is almost entirely whiskey. Of which, the rye plays nicely with the Benedictine. Im not sure what the black magic fuckery that goes on but the whiskey brings out some of the deeper herbal flavors in the liqueur, giving it an ever so slightly earthy flavor and finish.

That lasts all the way to the end, and then the whiskey “burn” comes back into play, and hangs out on the palate.

Mrs Sharkbait wasn’t a fan when she tried it Though she says she took a bigger sip than she should have and was surprised at it’s strength. I was somewhat surprised as well, and slightly off put at first, but this is growing on me. I wasn’t sure about it when I first tried it, but then I started to enjoy it towards the end. It ticks all of my boxes : whiskey, strong, and simple so it seems like a no brainer. But yet I’m still somewhat hesitant on how often I’ll make it. It seems profoundly lazy but Im trying to think of how many times I’ll remember I have Benedictine to add the next time I want a neat rye. I’m thinking it’s not often. It’s good, but not quite knock my socks off good.

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)