leviathan

2 oz Aged Puerto Rican Rum (Don Q Añejo)
1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orange Juice

Build in a Hurricane glass (Tiki mug), fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill. Float Horror Infused Fiendishly Tropical Bitters (2 dash Bitter Cube Jamaica #2, 2 dash Bitter Cube Blackstrap), and garnish with an orchid (nasturtiums).

Two Wednesdays ago, I was perusing the BG Reynolds site's recipe database, and I spotted the Leviathan. The drink was crafted by Jason Alexander of the Devil's Reef where it won the Iron Tiki Tender 2014 event. As a modification of the South Pacific Punch, I was definitely interested in trying it out. The recipe called for Fiendishly Tropical Bitters which were described on a site as having "a spicy flavour profile redolent of molasses, grapefruit, allspice, cinnamon, and vanilla," so I paired blackstrap and Jamaican bitters to capture many of the flavor and aromatic notes.
The Leviathan began with peppery floral aromas over the bitters' molasses, cinnamon, grapefruit, and floral ones. Next, the sip shared orange and passion fruit before leading into the swallow's rum, gin, passion fruit, and clove flavors. Overall, the tropical and spice notes in the drink were definitely complemented by my choice of nasturtium garnish.