I've never really understood the whole Scotch "thing" -- or at least my palate has never fancied the peat moss taste of malted whisky. So I was doubly surprised to find a lively Scotch cocktail hidden within the mysterious corner space occupied by Bread and Circuses Bistro and Bar in Towson.
This eclectic little "haunt" (their word) was like stepping into another world. Twinkling lights, eclectic art, light jazz in the background — I felt a little bohemian and a bit cosmopolitan, so inspired by the joie de vivre atmosphere that I was pretty much willing to sip whatever exotic cocktail was offered on the menu.
Enter the Guy Fawkes, an ambitious tour de force that left me rethinking Scotch entirely.
Clearly, history plays an important part in Bread and Circuses' epicurean plan. The bistro's name alone is an ancient Roman strategy of keeping the people happy by providing them with two things humanity seems to always desire: food and entertainment.
The Guy Fawkes, named for the famed House of Parliament conspirator, lives up to its deceptive moniker. The drink brings together Guy Fawkes' English roots and Spanish exploits, overlaid on the smokiness of Laphroaig single-malt 10-year-old Scotch, a tribute to the infamous Gunpowder Plot to which Fawkes is linked (and for which he is celebrated every Nov. 5).
Two types of Scotch serve as the base ingredient. The other is Drambuie — which I like to think of as the European cousin of Southern Comfort — a Scotch whisky-based liqueur primarily used as a mixer in other cocktails. Drambuie has honey and spices, creating a sweet, herbal flavor that adds layers to the strength of the Laphroaig. Rounding off the edgy Fawkes — and the theme — is amontillado, a sweet Spanish sherry, brightened by the Drambuie. Moroccan bitters — made of coriander, lemon, mint, and cinnamon — finish the drink with a dash of warmth and spice.
Bread and Circuses doesn't just give the people what they want, it gives the people what they didn't even know they wanted, or loved: approachable Scotch.
How to Make The Guy Fawkes
11/2 oz Drambuie
11/2 oz Laphroaig single malt Scotch whisky
1/3 oz. amontillado
5 Drops bitter end Moroccan bitters
Add ingredients to a shaker, half-filled with ice. Mix until frosted, then strain into a lowball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a burnt orange peel.
Where to Get The Guy Fawkes
Bread and Circuses Bistro
401 Delaware Ave., Towson
410-337-5282
$12