The old adage says, “you are what you eat.” Or, in my case, “you are what you drink,” and I do have a dozen nieces and nephews. I can’t think of a better holiday than Thanksgiving to enjoy a cocktail named for a tipsy uncle.

One description I found calls this cocktail a “Scotch Negroni.” Ehhhh … maybe, but just barely. Yes, it combines a liquor (not gin) with a bittered Italian spirit (not Campari) and a vermouth (but not sweet/Italian vermouth). So, Negroni-wise, it swings and misses on all three ingredients, but okay, it *is* a bittered three-ingredient cocktail—and it *is* delicious.

DRUNK UNCLE
1½ oz Peated Islay scotch (such as Ardbeg or Laphroaig)
¾ oz Cynar amaro
¾ oz Vermouth de Chambery Blanc (my go-to is Dolin Blanc, but there are others)

Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with plenty of ice until well chilled. Strain the mix into a chilled cocktail coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with twist of grapefruit peel (orange would be fine if you don’t have a grapefruit in the house). Flame that peel if you’re feeling adventurous; that’ll work nicely with the smoky Scotch whisky.