Yes, it’s a Mule’s Hind Leg, but I’ve been kicked harder in my life—just not recently.

There are multiple layers of flavor going on here – very harvesty: Apples, apricots, herbs, and maple syrup (have I mentioned that maple syrup and maple sugar candy are one of my few sweet-tooth vices?). But there is also a LOT of alcohol in this drink, and it’s so smooth and delicious that it goes down easily. Yes, it could sneak up on a person of slighter stature than I and give ’em a helluva kick. When I was growing up, my parents owned and boarded horses, and I learned the hard way to give their hind legs a wide berth. I advise that with this cocktail as well. 

The history of this cocktail is mostly unknown (and also unreliable—to wit, one website cals it a 1970s tiki drink and another calls it a “1990s retro” recipe). All I know for sure is that it appeared in Harry Craddock’s 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. 

MULE’S HIND LEG
1 oz London Dry Gin
1 oz Benedictine D.O.M.
1 oz Calvados brandy or Laird’s Applejack
¾ oz Apricot brandy liqueur
¼ oz Maple syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice, shake until your fingers hurt from the cold, and then strain the mix into a chilled coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with slice of apricot or twist of orange zest. (This orange was getting old, and I’ve been getting bored doing the same old garnishes.)