backpedal

\1 1/2 oz Pineau des Charentes (Chateau de Beaulon)
1/2 oz Byrrh or Dubonnet Rouge (Bonal)
1/2 oz Dry Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1 dash Blood Orange Bitters (1 dash each Fee's and Angostura Orange Bitters)

Stir with ice and strain into an absinthe-rinsed (Butterfly) glass; garnish with a flamed orange twist (not flamed).

Two Wednesdays ago for the cocktail hour, I reached for The Art of the Shim and spotted one that called for Pineau des Charentes called the Backpedal. The drink was created by Shaher Misif when he was at Cantina in San Francisco back in 2013; a year later, Shaher moved here to Boston where he now works at the Highball Lounge with such drinks as the Rubberband Man on the menu. I initially skipped over the drink for I lack either quinquina option listed, both Byrrh and Dubonnet Rouge, at the home bar, but I decided to make it with a third quinquina, Bonal, that currently graces my refrigerator shelves.
The Backpedal began with an anise and orange oil aroma. A floral and grape sip gave way to bitter orange elements on the swallow with a hint of anise on the finish.