subterranean swizzle

1 oz Appleton Reserve Rum
1 oz Osocalis Brandy (Pedro Domecq Fundador Solera Reserva)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz BG Reynolds Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Build in a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Swizzle to mix and chill. Top with more ice, garnish with "Improved Bitters" (2 parts Angostura, 2 parts Luxardo Maraschino, 1 part absinthe) and mint sprigs, and add a straw. I garnished with 1 tsp of this bitters mix, although the contest recipe uses Fee Brothers' Aromatic Bitters.

Two Saturdays ago, I was in the mood for a Swizzle to sooth the evening's heat. The one I chose was the Subterranean Swizzle in Gary Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails 2012. Brian MacGregor of Jasper's Corner Tap in San Francisco created this recipe for the Appleton Remixology contest. The song that inspired his drink was the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues, and you can watch a video of him making the drink here.
The mint garnish contributed greatly to the drink's aroma. The lemon sip was followed by the rum, pineapple, and cinnamon flavors. Towards the end, the bitters mix entered into the equation with light Maraschino, anise, and spice notes.