Taste CHEERS
NIGHT FALLS Bourbon & Bones’ seductive seasonal elixir
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS
Arizona mixology icon Richie Moe, famously known for his work at Cowboy Ciao, Binkley’s Restaurant Group, and Kazimierz World Wine Bar, as well as co-founder of both Citizen Public House and The Gladly, once dreamt of becoming a chemist of sorts. It’s no wonder, then, that at his latest position as beverage director at Bourbon & Bones Chophouse & Bar, he is considered the mad scientist of mixology. Moe’s latest experiment, Night Falls ($16), is equal parts fall, flabbergasting and fantastic. And it starts with … butter. “Yes, butter – not to mention brown sugar,” says Moe, who uses a process called “fat washing” to infuse butter and brown sugar into Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon then clarifies it several times to separate the fat from the resulting creamy, sweetened bourbon. From there, in homage to the flavors in a Manhattan, he adds Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth and aromatic Angostura bitters, which bring out flavors of clove and nutmeg in the spirits. “At that point, we’ve more or less made an autumn-themed Manhattan, but we’re not done yet,” says Moe, who then adds Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur, a nutty Italian spirit made from unripe green walnuts known for their smoothness. All ingredients are then stirred together and poured into a martini glass. “We take it to the next level by adding an orange wheel we’ve drenched in cinnamon and baked until dehydrated,” Moe says. “As it sinks to the bottom of the glass, the cinnamon infuses with the clove and nutmeg flavors perfectly.” The result is a velvety, luscious and spirit-forward cocktail that will warm up any chilly fall or winter’s night. Bourbon & Bones, 4200 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; 480.629.4922; www.bourbonandbonesaz.com.
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So Scottsdale! December ‘17