dark hand

2 oz Aged Dark Rum (Dos Maderas 5+5)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
3/8 oz Amaro Lucano
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Wednesdays prior, I reached for The Madrusan Cocktail Companion by Michael and Zara Madrusan, and there I spotted the Dark Hand by Yao Wong at The Elysian in Melbourne circa 2020. I figured that the recipe would be a good inaugural use for the aged rum finished in sherry casks, Dos Maderas 5+5, that I was sent as a sample along with a bottle of Spanish brandy and a bottle of Bauchaunt orange liqueur. Perhaps the name is a reference to the Right Hand but made dark by the rum choice as well as Amaro Lucano in place of Campari. Once mixed, the Dark Hand waved to the nose with an orange, caramel, and sherry grape aroma. Next, a semi-sweeet grape and caramel sip gave way to dark rum, nutty, dark orange, and herbal flavors on the swallow.