The world is a mess, but at least citrus is still juicy AF 🍊 For the photo, no layering or compositing of any kind was done here; just a burst of aromatic oil from a crisp swath of orange zest, one flash and a perfectly timed shutter.

This drink is super fun. I wanted to come up with something funky and tropical(ish) that still felt “classy.” I love how Cognac always as that fun “banana” element to it, so adding a bit of Creme de Banane really upped that flavor. For the rum, I used Smith & Cross which is an incredibly funky / fruity copper pot still rum from Jamaica. Combine that with some bitters and Falernum (another common tiki ingredient made with multiple island spices) and this little number is bursting with tropical flavor, while still remaining a balanced and sippable nightcap.

Not going to lie... this is a good one.

Cognac Old Fashioned — ingredients:

1½ oz Cognac VSOP
½ oz aged Jamaican rum
¼ oz Crème de Banane
¼ oz Falernum
2 dashes aromatic bitters

instructions:

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain over a large rock, express an orange peel over the top and garnish. Thank you to my friends at PDX Ice for hooking me up with some giant clear ice spheres!