Brandy for the Polynesian Queen

This is a nice little brandy based tiki drink that was modeled on the Sunakora from Beachbum Berry's Sippin' Safari. The Sunakora was named after Don the Beachcomber's ex-wife, Sunny Sund, who was nicknamed "Sunakora, Queen of the Beachcombers". So in a twist, I named this drink after a woman who bucked her Puritan tutors to become one of the most powerful and long-ruling queens of Tahiti in the 19th century.

Pomare Vahine

1.25 oz VS cognac
0.5 oz Laird's BIB Applejack
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz grapefruit juice
0.5 oz orange juice
0.5 oz honey syrup
1 tsp falernum
1 dash Angostura bitters

The falernum is the first thing you taste in this drink, followed swiftly by the oak-tempered flavors of applejack and cognac and the panoply of fruits. The Angostura bitters play their part throughout, reinforcing the falernum and spirits and keeping the honey in check, leading to a finish strikingly reminiscent of Coca Cola. If you like your drinks a bit more sour, you can back off on the honey syrup a bit without radically disturbing the balance of the drink.