gin pennant grog

2 oz London Dry Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Honey Syrup (*)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's) (*)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice

Shake with ice, add 1 oz soda water to the shaker tin, strain into a Mai Tai or double old fashioned glass with a Navy Grog ice cone (with straw hole), and add a straw and a lime-toothpick gin pennant flag to the ice cone.
(*) Postnote: This was originally posted as equal parts honey syrup to allspice dram but I found the 3:1 ratio to be more amenable to people's palates.

Two Tuesdays ago, I was wondering if the naval traditions gin and grog drinking could be combined by swapping out the rum in the classic Navy Grog for gin. In considering a base recipe, I thought about how Don the Beachcomber utilized honey along with grapefruit and lime in his Navy Grog, and how Trader Vic revamped Don's recipe by swapping the honey for allspice dram and simple syrup such as in his Voodoo Grog. Instead of one or the other, why not both? I kept Don's ice cone, and in looking at the photo in the first link, I decided that I would add back the gin pennant garnish. The gin pennant is a flag flown aboard ship that indicates an open invitation to other ships' officers to come aboard for drinks, and this seemed like a fine name for the drink.
The Gin Pennant Grog proffered a lime, allspice, and juniper nose. Next, honey, grapefruit, and lime on the sip gave way to gin and allspice on the swallow that was smoothed over by the honey's richness.
This is how it appears when I have been making them at Our Fathers' bar with Perry's Tot Navy Strength Gin. Since I do no prepare Navy Grog ice cones in advance, I utilize a lime twist flag on a pick inserted through a cherry and citrus slice.