light rum

Recipe

2 oz White Rum
1 oz Lime Juice
.75 oz Ube Syrup
1 Egg White (or Aquafaba)

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Dry shake vigorously for at least 45 seconds. Then add some ice and shake again for 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with something creepy.

* * * *

Yes, it is Halloween. Growing up Evangelical, I was taught this was a sort of anti-Christian day. But historically, this couldn’t be further from the truth. “Halloween” is an abbreviation for “All Hallows’ Eve’ning“, as it is the day before the Christian Holy Day of “All Hallows” (more commonly known as “All Saints Day“).

But more than just being the day before a holy day, Halloween has been a truly Christian holiday in its own right for quite some time. So it deserves a holy day cocktail! (It’s also Reformation Day for Protestants, and yes–there’s a cocktail for that).

There are an infinite number of spooky cocktails out there, but I wanted to go a little more elevated. Unlike my other cocktails, there’s no special meaning to any of the ingredients. It’s just great tasting and purple–a delightfully Halloween-ish hue. It is tart, sweet, a little nutty, and velvety smooth. You will adore this drink. All treat, and no trick.

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Recipe (this one’s a doozy)
NOTE: This recipe is in PARTS, not ounces. Please be wise.

.75 gin
.5 vodka
.5 brandy
.5 light rum
.5 blended scotch
.5 irish whiskey
.5 tequila
.25 rye
.5 apricot liqueur
.25 raspberry liqueur
3 dashes cinnamon bitters (or 1 tsp Fireball — trust me on this)
.25 oz Absinthe and .125 oz Green Chartreuse for float
Lemon Peel, expressed and as garnish

Stir all ingredients (except the ingredients for the float) in a mixing glass until VERY chilled and diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express the lemon peel over the drink and garnish with the peel.

* * * *

Today is Pentecost, which is all about the Holy Spirit descending and indwelling Christians, creating unity out of a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual group of people. So, I wanted to create a cocktail that had as many “spirits” from as many regions as possible (get it?).

I ended up doing a riff on the strongest known cocktail in the world, the Aunt Roberta Cocktail (really neat history behind that drink, by the way). It has 12 ingredients (the symbolism gets a little nuts here), and what came out was an even stronger drink that is surprisingly balanced and soft for all that’s in it.

Seriously, give this a try. It will be worth your time and effort. It is one drink, with many parts. And it is beautiful.

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