EbMixology

I continue to work on the EbM mixed drink for Tavern on the Grouse. Two nights ago in the moon (top) I tried a combo of sour fruit juices with vodka, with frozen mango as the ice cubes. Only passable.
Last night's drink, in the sun (bottom) used the ingredients from the middle photo. This was a much better drink. The scotch and B&B blend quite nicely, the B&B providing an astringent quality to the edge of the scotch. I really like that quality. Paired with the sour cherry, grapefruit, and cranberry juices, the alcohols become a fourth side of cutting flavor. There is a distinct sense of drinking a cube with sharp edges. The fresh pepper, in this combination, does not heat the drink so much as provide the strong fifth edge. The drink has no quality of spiciness, instead having many sharp edges that you feel with your mouth more than taste. The ghost pepper salt activates similarly. This salt includes cocoa. The mix of cocoa, salt, and ghost pepper combine perfectly in this drink (they do not combine perfectly in too many other foods or drinks, sadly.) The salt provides the sixth edge, a powerful hint of cocoa aroma dominates the nose of the drink, it never tips into a cocoa or spicy flavor or burn, rather the salt provides mere hints and glimpses, the ghost pepper a sensation that accompanies the tart flavor-burn of the sour juice trinity. With this drink, I am on to something.