Toronto

Hello darkness, my old friend. March returned to Seattle today, so it's time to experiment with one of my favorite cocktails for the dark months. The first cocktail I learned to order and then make was a Manhattan (I have a lot of Manhattan stories, one that starts at the Playboy Club in Vegas and ends with my wallet a lot lighter after and ill-advised stop at the Black Jack table). Manhattans can be sweet, so one day I went in search of something different. Murray Stinson, the legendary Seattle bartender introduced me to the Toronto. It's great. It makes you wish you had a fireplace to sit near while drinking. The simple syrup rounds out the drink, keeping the herbal bitterness of the Fernet from taking over. 

About the Fernet -- the Fernet Branca is great, but can be a bitter bomb -- Jaeger without the sugar. I've been trying different Fernets and love Townshend Fernet. It's still bitter and weird, but more complex, more drinkable. So I've been using that. 

2oz Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch -The standard recipe calls for Canadian Whiskey or Rye, but the maltiness of the Scotch is quite nice here.

.75oz Fernet -I like the bitter so I went with 1oz for this drink.

.25oz Simple Syrup

2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters -I used Basement Bitters aromatic.

2 Dashes Orange Bitters -I used Regan's No. 6.

Chill a coupe. Add the ingredients to your mixing glass. Stir with ice. Serve up, with a twist of lemon.

Find a fireplace. Sit. Drink.