Adding Rum to the Vintage Cocktail Recipe

     Most of the pre-war vintage cocktails are based upon Gin, Whiskey and Vodka, but with the properly selected rum, you can create a modern version of these classics that is very fine tasting and maybe even an improvement over the original.    I have been doing some experimenting with this idea for about a year now and I've found that many of these classic cocktails translate very well to the replacement of vodka or bourbon with the correct selection of rum.   

     I have had a good success using the classic Old Fashion recipe, replacing the bourbon with several different rums like Mount Gay XO or Black Barrel, Zafra, or Abuelo 7 Year.  This has worked very well on many occasions.  Today we are going to take another Classic cocktail and do a rum make over.

     The Morning Glory Cocktail first seen in the late 1880's, was a common cure for a hangover.  It is a basic cocktail that is based on some very strong spirits.   It starts with Rye and Cognac a bit of sugar and a trace of curacao for flavor and a softening of the cocktail and a couple of dashes of bitters for medicinal purposes and topped with a few drops of Absinthe and a splash of soda.  This drink was known to be soothing and yet it would go down easily the morning after.

   My idea is similar with a few small adjustments to bring it into my world of rum.

Panama Morning Glory Cocktail

• 1 oz. Zafra Rum
• 1 oz. Cognac
• 1 tsp. Cane syrup (or simple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp. Cointreau (or Triple sec)
• 2 dashes of bitters
• 2 drops  Absinthe (Don't get carried away)
• 1 oz. chilled Club Soda
• Strip of Lemon Zest

Mix all ingredients except the club soda and the lemon zest in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake until chilled, and strain into a rocks glass and top with club soda.  Garnish with a strip of lemon zest .

     This is a fun cocktail, that has its roots in the earliest days of cocktailing with a new twist of quality rum.   Give it a try, you will really