aurora cocktail

1 oz Cognac (Camus VS)
1 oz Rye Whiskey (Sazerac)
1/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1 dash Simple Syrup (1/4 oz)
1 dash Boker's or Angostura Bitters (Jerry Thomas Decanter)

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed (Butterfly) cocktail coupe containing 2 oz champagne (Willm Blanc de Blancs), and garnish with either a lemon twist or cherry (lemon twist).
Two Saturdays ago, I ventured into the Canon Cocktail Book for a sparkling wine cocktail. There, I was lured in by their riff on Jerry Thomas' Morning Glory called the Aurora cocktail. The original was published in the 1887 edition of The Bar-Tender's Guide with the curaçao and soda water being swapped here for elderflower liqueur and sparkling wine. Somewhere between the two recipes was something that made me think of the Seelbach. Once mixed, the Aurora Cocktail showcased absinthe notes over lemon oil and elderflower aromas. Next, a carbonated malty and white grape sip gave way to a rye, brandy, and bitter floral swallow with a clean anise and white wine finish.