If you're a long-time resident of the Bay Area and are a fan of loud, punishing music, you might be familiar with a band called Sleep, who, in my opinion, perfected the art of the metal riff. They've been around for over 20 years and are enjoying a new ressurgence in their popularity. I've lately been smitten with them for a second time around and felt compelled to recognize their brilliance with a dedicated cocktail named after my favorite song of theirs, Sonic Titan. But how to connote the tasty, sludgy devil-riffage of the song in a drink? I was after something that smacks of a black, toxic substance oozing up from the earth and smelling of sulphur and blood. Or just a black lake in Hell, surrounded by dead, desicated trees on a black-and-white moonscape. And it had to taste really good. So! After some agonizing head-banging, I came up with this combo of smoky, earthy Scotch, thick, dark amari, bitter wormwood, and salt, with a touch of chocolate for balance and depth. Et voila, the Sonic Titan. Not for the faint of heart, but then neither is Sleep. Enjoy!

Sonic Titan
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1 oz Laphroaig 10-year Scotch
1 oz Unicum
1 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Tempus Fugit creme de cacao
1/4 oz Cocktail Kingdom wormwood bitters
1 pinch sea salt

Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Shout at the devil.