This drink is made by our dear reader, Stephen.
The French Batallion is a French tiki-inspired cocktail that takes a Martinique rhum agricole blanc and combines it with elements of a popular regional drink of southern France. Throughout France, pastis cocktails are popular. Along the southern coast of France, the Mauresque and Momisette are pastis drinks that combine orgeat syrup and still water in the Mauresque and sparkling water in the Momisette.
The Mauresque was originally created by French legionaires serving in the Bataillon d’Afrique during the Algerian campaign of 1830s – 40s. For the French Batallion, instead of using a low ABV pastis, we’re opting for a spirit with strength that is fit for a soldier: absinthe.
We don’t want to mask the rhum‘s grassy notes so we’re opting for a Swiss variety, Kübler, from the birthplace of the spirit. Its ABV is 53%. A French absinthe, like Pernod, has an ABV of 68%. The citrus we’re using is lemon as it is prevalent throughout the Mediterranean. The orgeat and egg white are the smoothing agents to balance out the high ABV of the rhum agricole blanc and absinthe.
If you prefer to dilute it further, take a page from the Momisette, and make it a fizz by serving in a chilled collins glass with added seltzer water.
French Batallion
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Rhum Agricole Blanc Neisson
- 1/4 oz Absinthe Kübler
- 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Orgeat
- Egg white
Instructions
- Dry shake the ingredients
- Shake with a large ice cube and a small cheater cube
- Double strain to a chilled coupe
- Enjoy
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Lovely and bright. The dry rum Agricole really highlights the wormwood from the absinthe. I used a smaller amount of La fee absinthe cause that’s what I had.