The Velvet Merchant

When the nights get cold and you want something that feels like velvet in a glass, this is the drink to reach for. The Velvet Merchant brings together Pedro Ximénez sherry and ruby port, two of the most decadent fortified wines you can pour, then adds aged rum for backbone and Bénédictine for that honeyed, spiced complexity. The result tastes like liquid fruitcake in the best possible way. You get raisins and figs from the PX, bright berry notes from the port, and funky tropical richness from Jamaican or Barbados rum. Walnut bitters and freshly grated nutmeg add warming spice that makes this feel like it was designed specifically for fireside sipping. It's sweet, sure, but the rum keeps it from being cloying, and the Nick & Nora glass ensures you're savoring it slowly. Pour this one after a big meal when you want something that can stand up to dark chocolate or a wedge of aged Gouda. It's the kind of nightcap that turns an ordinary Tuesday into an occasion worth lingering over.