And now for some brown booze in something really boozy. A cocktail that’s really about that smack in the head. For inspiration I just bought a bottle of Zirbenz Stone Pine liquor, which I’ve had several times in rum and rye drinks to good effect. I’m trying to figure out what it goes in. I won’t kid you—it tastes like a tree. This seemed at first like a cool characteristic for a liqueur and still does. It’s just that I want to understand how to make it play nicely with other flavors so that my guests don’t think it’s weird.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsWYBYItVIfdyd_c6dx-JG0A5P4JwzjuQPxaDK2sOrHvBwMDF6o9l9A4sC16PYalI7MCzsdOPnm_nDasA85xlWxbjFPdNIAmKAMl1EalT1rKcoQuseeE-tWXnnAODDvD7dVxsqkCSrTg/s400/Zirbenz.jpg)
Which it is, a bit. But I like it. I want to show it off in all its weirdness. So let’s see—a little rye, a little ginger beer... a little falernum and this would taste exactly like pine cleanser. And not that boozy really.
OK—how about this one?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaTkD_0LLOArCfpqJhv9Hj16LhZkJwW1rGCJ1nbWVbPi37FqdMC9SZGQ4N6fHlZgfSo_P3Y0YkD_UUaVwjzZCw5xvaZDlzooXWhP8ruO46UjMYNdrXFOpUIYA08bZ725mM7JUVrV3OoI/s400/Forest+Murmurs.jpg)
Forest Murmurs- 2 oz calvados
- 1/4 oz Zirbenz Stone Pine liqueur
- 1/4 oz pimento dram
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Lemon twist.
SOURCE: ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGESassafras tea and horehound candy. Boozy, woodsy, mellow.