:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Tootsie-Roll-720x720-primary-e0f9b189ff1c4038b47e0678117681c1.jpg)
Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
The sweet, chewy, chocolate-flavored Tootsie Roll candy dates back to 1907. The Chicago-made treats are still a common sight in stores, and the individually wrapped versions find their way to the bottom of children’s outstretched bags each Halloween. But you don’t have to be a kid or wait for a special occasion to enjoy a Tootsie Roll, because drinks pro Aisha Sharpe turned the candy into an adults-only cocktail featuring rye whiskey, Pedro Ximénez sherry and lots of chocolate bitters.
The Tootsie Roll cocktail is a more serious affair than the name implies. Rather than relying on flavored vodka or chocolate syrup to achieve the desired taste, Sharpe enlists the intensely sweet, dark, dessert-like Pedro Ximénez sherry. The sherry is tempered by the spicy rye, and the bitters—made from organic toasted cacao nibs with just a hint of oak—impart chocolate notes into the drink without increasing the sweetness.
The cocktail is well-balanced, blending strong and structured whiskey with the rich PX sherry and the unmistakable taste of chocolate, while the Luxardo maraschino cherry garnish adds a final decadent touch. Make one for yourself the next time you want to drink down some childhood nostalgia.
Ingredients
-
2 ounces rye whiskey
-
1 ounce Lustau Pedro Ximénez sherry
-
6 dashes Scrappy’s chocolate bitters
-
Garnish: Luxardo maraschino cherry
Steps
-
Add the rye whiskey, sherry and chocolate bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled.
-
Strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.
-
Garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry.