home drum

1 3/4 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1/4 oz Laphroaig Scotch
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe (Kübler).

Two Wednesdays ago, I was inspired by the Cynar-falernum combination in the Brooks, and my mind went to the Cognac Corn'n'Oil that Richard Seale described during a talk here in Boston for a base. Next, I mimicked the proportions of Maks Pazuniak's 100 Year Old Cigar as well as its smoky Scotch and absinthe accents. For a name, I kept the Corn'n'Oil heritage and dubbed this after the Bajan saying of "Home drum beats first" meaning that before taking on another's problems, look after your own family first.The Home Drum welcomed the senses with an anise and Cognac aroma. Next, caramel on the sip slid into Cognac melding into herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoke, clove, and anise finish. Overall, the combination was more intriguing and dynamic than the basic Cognac Corn'n'Oil.