Sharkbait’s Cocktail of the Week: Stay for a Nightcap

I wanted to stick with the rum theme established last week, since I still have an urge to jet off to “St. Somewhere” and just lounge on a beach in paradise all day. I think I’m still going through some pandemic fatigue, and attempting to relive that by flying to the Caribbean in Microsoft Flight Simulator is starting to wear off.

Plus, I think it’s a dead heat between rum and tequila for which base spirit I utilize the least, so I am trying to close the spirit utilization gap I’ve got myself into. A tough task, I know, but one I am willing to undertake/drink my way out of.

I found two variations of the same drink. The first iteration comes from the Waldorf Astoria cocktail book, and it is simply called The Nightcap. The other comes from The Gentleman’s companion, and it is the Santiago Nightcap.

Nightcap:

2 oz. Bacardi 8 year old rum

1 oz. Grand Marnier

1 egg yolk

.5 oz heavy cream (optional)

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice and shake well. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. No garnish

And now, the Santiago Nightcap:

1.5 jiggers Gold seal Bacardi rum

1 pony Orange curacao

1 egg yolk

Shake hard with cracked ice, and strain into a large saucer champagne glass

So, lacking both Orange Curacao and Grand Marnier, I opted to use Cointreau as my orange liqueur of choice since that is what I had on hand. Also, I omitted the heavy cream, despite the suggestion of the Waldorf book, because I lack heavy cream

The aroma reminds me of the holidays. Given the rum base and the egg, that isn’t that much of a stretch really. in fact, it looks like someone poured eggnog into a coupe glass. I get nothing of the cointreau in the nose whatsoever.

The taste is just like the holidays as well. it is very rum forward. About midway through the sip, you can start detecting the orange liqueur, and realize it has been lightening up the flavor palate the entire time. Once your palate gets over the initial “shock” of the rum, you can get more flavors and taste the liqueur adding ever so slight citric flavors, as well as cutting the harshness of the rum just enough.

The egg acts as a vehicle to provide mouth feel. Like most flips, the egg takes the spirits and coats your palate, leading to an extended taste well past when the sip is finished. I want to try the version with the heavy cream, but based off of this tasting, I’m not sure what it would bring to the party, other than more of a faux egg nog kind of flavor/mouth feel…

Overall, I enjoyed the nightcap, or the iteration I made of it. I would say the name is spot on. This is not one you want before dinner, or, anytime in the afternoon really. Definitely a one and done, save this one for the evening. Preferably by a fire in the backyard.

(Banner image found here)