A winter cocktail can be much more than a cup of eggnog or a hot toddy. This week we bring you a cocktail born on the Chesapeake Bay. It’s not warm, but the USS Constellation Rum in it will definitely warm you up.
The all-Maryland rum, by Tobacco Barn Distillery, is distilled from premium molasses made at the Domino sugar factory in Baltimore. This rum is meant to reflect the character and heritage of the U.S. Navy’s rum during the age of sail. Following distillation, the rum is aged in bourbon barrels in the belly of the sloop-of-war, the USS Constellation, in Baltimore for a year. Each bottle of USS Constellation Rum is from a single barrel release. A portion of the proceeds helps to support Historic Ships in Baltimore. Learn more in this video by the CBM Bay Bulletin team: chesapeakebaymagazine.com/video-rum-aged-in-belly-of-uss-constellation-helps-keep-ship-afloat/
(Watch for a story in the winter issue of Chesapeake Bay Magazine on the restoration work on the Constellation, including traditional caulking on the ship’s original wood.)
The Flagship cocktail was named in honor of the sloop-of-war being recommissioned as the flagship of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet at the beginning of WWII.
Ingredients:
2 oz USS Constellation Rum
½ oz simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Add all ingredients to a rocks glass, fill with ice and stir well until mixed and very cold. Garnish with an orange peel if desired. Note: This drink goes well with a cigar, say aficionados.
