1½ oz. vodka (Deschaine uses 492’s house vodka, Luksusowa)
1/2 oz. Licor 43
2 oz. yerba mate, recipe follows
3 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters
1/2 oz. heavy cream
Cracked black pepper, for garnish
Combine ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass and garnish with ground black pepper.
For the yerba mate:
4 tsp. yerba mate (use loose tea leaves for maximum flavor)
34 oz. water
Place tea leaves at the bottom of a French press, then fill the glass with close-to-boiling hot water. Steep for 10 minutes. Press the leaves, then strain liquid through a tea strainer. Allow the tea to chill to room temperature before using it in the cocktail.