Whisky Cocktail: Smokey Carburetor

Islay whiskies present a challenge to the cocktail buff. The peat, the smoke and the iodine is a peculiar mixture more usually reserved for the single malt aficionado than the cocktail connoisseur.    I have I found though, that a quality gin often provides the basis to bring forward the nuances of a fine whisky in a cocktail. So I decided to mix gin with an Islay whisky in this cocktail.  The recipe I came up with is very similar to a recipe in the Internet Cocktail Database called, The Automobile, which calls for a regular Scotch instead of an Islay Scotch. I also added a touch of Cointreau to help ease the smoke.  In keeping with the theme of automobiles and smoky scotch I thought I would call my cocktail,  The Smokey Carburetor.

The Smokey Carburetor

1 1/2 oz  Islay Scotch  (I used McClelland’s Single Malt Islay Whisky)

3/4 oz  Gin

1/2  oz sweet vermouth

1/4 oz Cointreau (optional)

1 dash orange bitters

Stir in mixing glass with ice

Strain and serve

(The Cointreau is optional depending on how severely you want to cut the smoke)