Two Moons Recipe
Pike Creek whiskey / sweet vermouth Liquor 43/miso / aztec chocolate bitters
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Ingredients
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Cocktail
Garnish & rinse
Equipment & ice
Method
Miso integration
Dissolve miso
Place 0.25 tsp white miso paste into a small metal or heatproof bowl. Add the 0.25 tsp simple syrup (optional) and 0.25 oz warm water (about 7 ml) and whisk or stir vigorously until fully dissolved and smooth with no lumps. The small amount of warm liquid helps the miso blend seamlessly into the cocktail without graininess.
Taste the dissolved miso mixture. It should be salty-umami but subtle. If it's too assertive, reduce to 1/8 tsp miso in future batches; if too mild, add another tiny pinch. This step ensures even distribution of savory notes in the drink.
Mixing the cocktail
Combine ingredients
In a mixing glass, add 2 oz Pike Creek whiskey, 0.75 oz sweet vermouth, 0.5 oz Licor 43, the dissolved miso mixture, and 3 dashes Aztec chocolate bitters. If you used no miso-syrup step, add the miso paste directly and stir longer to incorporate.
Stir & chill
Fill the mixing glass with large, cold ice and stir gently for 30–40 seconds (about 20–30 full rotations) until the mixture is well chilled, slightly diluted, and silky. Proper stirring cools and dilutes the cocktail to round the flavors.
Prepare glass
If you want a salted rim, wet the outer lip of a chilled rocks or coupe glass with a little orange peel oil (rub the peel around the rim), then dip the rim lightly into smoked salt or flaky sea salt so a fine ring adheres. Alternatively, simply chill the glass and proceed without salt.
Strain
Using a fine or Hawthorne strainer, strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared chilled rocks or coupe glass over a single large ice cube (if serving on the rocks) or neat if preferred.
Garnish & finish
Express and garnish
Hold an orange peel over the drink and give it a firm squeeze to express the oils across the surface, then rub the peel around the rim and drop it into the drink as garnish. The citrus oils brighten the whiskey and Licor 43 while complementing the chocolate bitters.
Optional final aroma: before serving, add one additional dash of Aztec chocolate bitters on top of the drink for a more pronounced chocolate-nostalgic nose. Serve immediately.