“Dark Darker Yet Darker The Darkness Keeps Growing The Shadows Cutting Deeper Photon Readings Negative This Next Experiment Seems Very Very Interesting What Do You Two Think” - Entry Number 17 [Translated]

Inspiration

There’s a secret log entry in UNDERTALE that allegedly recounts the chilling descent of the writer into unfathomable darkness. The entry can only be read by modifying your SAVE file. If I’m correct in saying, the interpretation of the entry is that it is W.D. Gaster’s last research log before falling into his invention that ripped him a part, sending his atomized body across time and space. So, uhhhh, kinda creepy right? Want to drink the unfathomable darkness with me? Yea, of course you do!

In making this beverage, I had one thought: darkness.  I found the darkest spirits in my collection and continued experimenting with them until I had something palatable.

Workshopping

There’s a part in Entry 17 that reads (when translated from Wingdings) “PHOTON READINGS NEGATIVE”. That, to me, implies that DARK DARKER YET DARKER should be as close to jet black as possible. I took this as inspiration to pull aside every dark spirit that I have in my collection. The list includes an array of base spirits, liqueurs, and custom infusions.

I started by adding in 1 teaspoon increments (5 ml) of some of the dark liquids together, tasting as I went to find when certain combinations of flavors stuck out. My flavor testing consisted of 3 main batches. The bullet points below denote the exact order in which I added ingredients to a room-temperature cordial glass.

1. Cynar, Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, Kraken Spiced Rum, Myers’s Dark Rum, Fernet-Branca, Jägermeister, Giffard Creme de Violette

2. Cynar, Dark Chocolate-Infused Rye Whisky, Kraken Spiced Rum, Myers’s Dark Rum, Fernet-Branca, Jagermeister, Creme de Violette

3. Cynar, Chocolate-Infused Rye Whisky, Kraken Spiced Rum, Baltamaro Amaro, Jagermeister, Cherry Heering, Tonic Water

While combining the collection of spirits, I found that there were some combinations that worked incredibly well together and built the final recipe below based on taking those best combos and, again, combining them. The fernet and Jager were a pleasant combination, however, the Fernet-Branca was too potent a bitterness to pair well with the other spirits. An Amaro from Baltimore, Maryland (aptly the Fernet style Amaro in Baltimore Spirits Company’s collection of Baltamaro spirits) had enough proof (50% alcohol) to act as a base spirit while providing a calmer collection of Fernet spices. The cherry Heering tasted supremely well with the Mr Black coffee liqueur and a fresh batch of cold brew that would become the ice cube that this black ichor is poured overtop of.

At the time of this writing, I had not yet discovered another jet-black spirit infusion. Had I discovered it at the time, it likely would’ve made it into the drink. If you’re interested in making a doughy-flavored black absinthe, combine all the colors of Froot Loops into any ol’ absinthe and let sit for a while. If your infusion was anything like mine, you’ll have deep black-colored absinthe with a cereal-like flavor with very light hints of fruit oil. I developed this absinthe recipe while workshopping an Asriel Dreemurr cocktail, that didn’t make it into the UNDERTALE showcase.

Flavor Analysis

Before your sipping experience, your smelling buds get the aromas of coffee with a touch of cherry. In an interesting combination of flavors, the feeling of “everything” jumps forward. “Everything” is defined as licorice, cherry lollipop, toasted coffee, nuttiness, and vegetal bitterness that tops off the spirit level. The flavor is powerful however everything melds together in an otherworldly balance that words lack the power to define. This cocktail is 👍.