the capricorn

1 1/2 oz Aged Dark Rum (Planteray Original Dark)
1/2 oz Batavia Arrack (von Oosten)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/2 oz Pineapple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with lime oil (lime twist). Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for The Madrusan Cocktail Companion and spied an Erick Castro recipe that I had never made before – namely, the Capricorn that he created at Rickhouse in San Francisco circa 2009. It was reminescent of the Wray of Light with Jamaican rum instead of the dark rum and Batavia Arrack here, and with Becherovka as the clove source instead of falernum, it reminded me of Hop, Skip, and Jump. Once prepared, the Capricorn galloped to the nose with floral pineapple-lime melding into Batavia Arrack funk aromas. Next, lime with a hint of pineapple on the sip ushered in dark rum, Batavia Arrack's earthy funk, pineapple, and clove flavors on the swallow.