platoon

2/3 Scotch (1 1/2 oz Famous Grouse + 1 bsp Caol Ila)
2 dash Rye Whiskey (1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded)
3 dash Sweet Vermouth (3/4 oz Cocchi)
3 dash Picon Bitters (1/4 oz Torani Amer)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Mondays ago, I was flipping through the pages of Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 when I spotted the Platoon that appeared like a split spirits Liberal Cocktail. The Pioneers book has a few drinks that mirror this format such as the rye over rum Yankee Skipper and the Scotch over applejack Sunshine. Here, the structure was Scotch over rye, and that seemed like it would make for an intriguing nightcap. Once stirred and strained, the Platoon shared a peat smoke and dark orange bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and malt on the sip transitioned to smoky Scotch and rye spice on the swallow and a pleasantly bitter orange finish.