Wednesday, July 3, 2013

six bells

1 wineglass Myers's Rum (1 1/2 oz Gosling's Black Seal)
1 liquor glass Curaçao (1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand)
Juice 1 Lime (1/2 oz)
12 drop Angostura Bitters (1 dash)
1 dessert spoon Sugar (1 barspoon Simple Syrup)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

After the 91st Division, I opened up our reprint of the1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book and spotted the Six Bells. I was drawn in for it seemed like a dark rum version of the gin-based classic, the Pegu Club. The book shares the history that retired Commander H.S. Cardale of the Royal Navy provided this recipe. Perhaps the name reflects how the Royal Navy divides the day up into 5 four hour shifts and 2 two hour shifts which are denoted and segmented by bell ringing. Six bells would be 3 hours into the four hour watches that end with the 8th bell. The U.S. Navy has a more simplified 6 four hour shifts with similar bell ringing.
An orange peel and dark rum aroma prepared the mouth for the caramel and grapefruit-like sip. The rum flavors continued into the swallow where they were followed by the orange and lime notes and an allspice and clove finish.

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