Burden In My Hand Recipe

Chill glass

Place a rocks glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to chill it.

Measure and combine

In a mixing glass combine 1.5 oz Bacardi Ocho, 0.75 oz Pineapple Don Q, 0.25 oz Fernet, and 0.5 oz dry vermouth.

Add mavi bark tincture

Add 0.25 tsp mavi tree bark tincture (or the equivalent concentrated infusion). This will add an earthy, balsamic note — use sparingly.

Stir

Fill the mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir with a bar spoon for 30–40 seconds until the mixture is well-chilled and slightly diluted (about 20–25% dilution by eye).

Prepare glass

Discard ice water from the chilled rocks glass and place one large clear ice cube into it.

Transfer cocktail

Strain the stirred cocktail over the large ice cube in the chilled rocks glass using a fine strainer to catch any small particulates from the tincture.

Cigar smoke finish

Light the cigar and gently blow a short, controlled plume of smoke into an overturned mixing glass or small cloche. Immediately invert the mixing glass or place the cloche over the cocktail to trap the smoke and infuse the drink for 10–20 seconds. Remove the cover and discard the cigar in a safe ashtray. (If you prefer no direct cigar smoke, use a handheld smoker or smoking gun with the cigar as the smoking material.)

Express orange oil

Hold an orange peel over the glass and firmly squeeze/express the peel to release its oils over the surface of the drink, then wipe the rim with the peel and drop it into the glass as garnish.

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to appreciate the layered flavors: the aged rum backbone, pineapple brightness, bitter herbal lift from fernet and dry vermouth, and the complex earthy edge from the mavi bark with a tobacco-smoke finish.