center of the galaxy

2 oz Blended Aged Rum (1 oz Dos Maderas 5+5 + 1 oz Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz St. George Raspberry Liqueur (Mathilde Framboise)
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup (omit)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 pinch Freshly Grated Cinnamon

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime wheel and a raspberry (cherry) in the center. Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make the Center of the Galaxy by Martin Cate via the Smuggler's Cove cocktail book. I had previously passed over this drink, but I recently spotted a friend on Instagram making this with framboise instead of St. George Raspberry Liqueur, and I figured that I could do the same with my mini of Mathilde's product. Martin described the drink's genesis as, "The discovery in 2009 that the center of the Milky Way galaxy contains a chemical that tastes like raspberries and smells like rum was the inspiration for this cocktail." Overall, the concept reminded me of a Knickerbocker with honey in place of the curaçao, so I was curious to finally give this one a go after having owned the book for a little over a decade. In the glass, the Center of the Galaxy showcased a lime and berry aroma. Next, lime, raspberry, and caramel notes on the sip spun off into rum, sherry (from the Dos Maderas Rum), honey, tart fruit, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.