The Sand & Blood cocktail featuring Yellowstone Single Malt

This is a boozy, moody cocktail full of wonderful flavors for the cocktail-er ready to venture away from the tried and true. This version is a minor riff on the Blood & Sand (see that switcheroo there!), a classic cocktail that can be found in Harry Craddock's seminal 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. 

The Blood & Sand cocktail was apparently named after a 1922 silent film about bullfighting. The movie itself was based on a Spanish novel that was subsequently made into a play, so you can say the inspiration for this drink has a storied past!

Here the drink is tweaked to highlight the 4-year aged American Single Malt Whiskey from Yellowstone. It clocks in at 108 proof, so this is a strong drink to sip slowly, all the better to appreciate the delicious layers of flavor.

Ingredients

1.5 oz Yellowstone Single Malt Whiskey
.75 oz Cherry Heering
.75 oz Punt e Mes
1 oz ruby red grapefruit juice (or another orange or grapefruit juice)
3 dashes cherry bitters
Luxardo cherries & orange twist for garnish

 Method

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with 3 cherries and an orange twist.