Nutmeg Grater

Freshly grated nutmeg has been a signature garnish in bartending since at least the 19th century, when flip cocktails — made with spirit, sugar, egg, and cream — routinely called for a dusting of warm spice on top. The connection between nutmeg and cocktails grew stronger with the rise of the Brandy Alexander, which first appeared in print in Harry MacElhone's 1923 ABC of Mixing Cocktails at Ciro's in London. That creamy combination of brandy, crème de cacao, and heavy cream became one of the most popular cocktails of the mid-20th century, with freshly grated nutmeg as its defining garnish. The reason whole nutmeg is preferred over pre-ground is purely aromatic: once nutmeg is grated, its volatile oils begin to dissipate quickly. Pre-ground nutmeg loses most of its top-note fragrance in storage. A small nutmeg grater — or a fine microplane — allows bartenders to release those oils fresh at the moment of serving, adding warmth and complexity that bottled ground nutmeg simply cannot replicate.