testadura

1 1/2 oz Planation 5 Year Rum (R.L. Seale 10 Year)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
Chocolate Bitters (2 dash Bittermens Mole)
Build in a rocks glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I ventured back to an online recipe flashcard set which yielded the Testadura by Richard Boccato at Dutch Kills; I later found it on the Wm. Farmer & Son's menu attributed to the bar with a 2017 date. Perhaps the drink is named after the Italian phrase "testa dura" that translates to "hard head" and is an idiomatic expression meaning stubborn. The cinnamon syrup and Cynar modifying an aged rum base did not seem like an unusual combination; however, I have only tried it in the Broken Flower and Poison Dart and utilized it in an on-the-fly Manhattan riff Shadows & Tall Trees at Russell House Tavern back in 2013. In the glass, the Testadura welcomed the nose with an orange, cinnamon, and caramel bouquet. Next, the caramel notes continued on into the sip where they were chased by rum, herbal, cinnamon, and chocolate flavors.