golden age

2 oz Flor de Caña Gold Rum
1 oz Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (Lustau)
1 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Licor 43
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Two Mondays ago, I selected the 2012 Northstar Cocktails and spotted the Golden Age from Pip Hanson. The recipe had been skipped over for years since I lacked Fino sherry in my collection until rather recently, and the combination with Cynar reminded me of my experiments the night before with the Exchange Place. Here, the additions to the equation were aged rum and the citrussy-vanilla Licor 43. Once prepared, the Golden Age proffered grapefruit, vanilla, and herbal aromas to the nose. Next, a caramel and white wine sip continued on into rum, funky herbal, vanilla, citrus, and savory flavors on the swallow. Overall, the combination felt like it needed a little work in the same way as my own drink the night before did.