hair of the lion

2 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Rum
1/2 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

After the Tailor of Panama, we were still in a rum mood, so I suggested the Hair of the Lion from the North Star Cocktails book created by North Star Bartenders Guild's Adam Harness. The drink is a rum and egg white version of the classic Bourbon-based Lion's Tale. I always found the original's call for Bourbon to be odd as the other ingredients suggest a rum-based Tiki number; in addition, Bourbon and lime never seem as natural of a pairing as rum and lime (or Bourbon and lemon) do.
The nutmeg garnish's spice complemented the aged rum notes on the nose. The creamy caramel and lime sip was followed by a rum swallow and an allspice finish. Indeed, the Hair of the Lion brings the Lion's Tail more in line with the rum drink I imagine that it should be. Finally, I am not sure if Adam is suggesting that this drink should be a breakfast hair of the dog-style libation, but I might be game to try it sometime like that.