Nutcracker Recipe

The nutcracker is a rich, warming holiday cocktail from the folks at angels envy, a spirits producer. Despite the name, its not all that nutty; rather, the walnut bitters play up a panoply of woody, spiced winter flavors. The angels envy recipe specifies averna, a medium-bodied, entry-level amaro. Thats our choice for this too, but any amaro that you like will work as long as its not too herb-forward; spice and citrus and kola flavors work best here. The original recipe mentions an optional absinthe rinse, but we dont think its necessary and in fact, wed argue that it actually detracts from the well-balanced flavor profile, muting the flavor of the bitters and the crme de cacao.