The Nutcracker is a rich, warming holiday cocktail from the folks at Angel’s Envy, a spirits producer. Despite the name, it’s not all that nutty; rather, the walnut bitters play up a panoply of woody, spiced winter flavors.
The Angel’s Envy recipe specifies Averna, a medium-bodied, entry-level amaro. That’s our choice for this too, but any amaro that you like will work as long as it’s not too herb-forward; spice and citrus and kola flavors work best here.
The original recipe mentions an optional absinthe rinse, but we don’t think it’s necessary – and in fact, we’d argue that it actually detracts from the well-balanced flavor profile, muting the flavor of the bitters and the crème de cacao.
