A while back, a charming fellow made a custom drink and named it after me. It sounded way too tasty to let remain nothing more than text, so I did exactly what you’re supposed to do with recipes. Make them!
 
Featured here is a “Merriweather”, or extra-extra-hot cocoa, by means of Rusty Nail’s recipe.
 
http://askrustynail.tumblr.com/post/38157607543/rusty-nails-recipes
 
This drink was incredibly easy to make and, thankfully, the ingredients are all quite simple to obtain as well. Any grocery store should have chipotle and cayenne pepper available, and you can get your choice of bourbon at anywhere with even a mediocre selection of alcohol. The chocolate liqueur took a little time to track down though.
 
This drink was absolutely delicious, which is great if you’re not the sort who likes the taste of alcohol normally. The bourbon is there, but the chocolate mellows out its burn quite a lot. Be sure to use a above-average cocoa as well - don’t cheat yourself by getting quality alcohol only to mix it with Swiss Miss. Cadbury and Godiva make particularly good drinking chocolate. Surprisingly, the pepper actually added to the sweetness of the drink; the flavors really play off each other well and the chipotle powder enhances the chocolate’s sweetness while supplying a good, even heat to the whole thing.
 
Like all mixed drinks, this one is a little deceptive, especially when in the context of hot cocoa. Every ingrained instinct and memory of cocoa I had told me “Hey, this is a yummy comfort drink~! Take a big swallow!” on the first taste, which I obliged through sheer habit. The bourbon then politely reminded me that it was there by kicking me in the brain. When you drink this, bear in mind that bourbon likes to bite and burn even when mixed with chocolate, so do yourself a favor and take it slow. Also, drink it all while it’s still hot since it was notably better steaming than merely lukewarm.
 
This drink was very satisfying; sweet, just a little spicy, and very smooth. It warmed me right up and I stayed warm with a pleasant heat both in belly and brain thanks to the alcoholic content. The small yet strong volume of alcohol in the drink allows for a very gentle buzz that slowly ramps up and then just as slowly dies away. Very comfortable and soothing. This is absolutely going to be one of my go-to beverages during the cold months and I’m going to teach my friends how to make it on New Year’s Eve.
 
PS - It’s also very difficult to draw heavy-lidded expressions like the sort Merriweather and Rusty Nail have without it looking like they’re making bedroom eyes at each other. But hey, after a drink this nice, he at least deserves a kiss for the trouble.
 
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