Alexander

The Brandy Alexander is the mother of dessert drinks. It's creamy chocolate and silky brandy taste is well known. What is less known is that the original Alexander is made with gin, as were most cocktails in the old days before Prohibition.

Filibuster dual cask gin is still my favorite dessert gin. It is very unassuming, round and oaky. It plays well in creamy drinks where the flavor of juniper is offputting underneath sweet flavors.

MurLarkey cocoa whiskey is my other modification to this drink. It is less sweet than dark creme de cacao, but I kind of like that more anyway. For this one, I didn't even need to modify the cocktial with sugar syrup. It came out nice and dry, but still very dessert drink-like. Just the kind of nightcap that I would like to drink.

• 1 oz. gin (Filibuster dual cask used)
• 1 oz. dark creme de cacao (MurLarkey cocoa whiskey used)
• 1 oz. half-and-half
• fresh ground nutmeg

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.