I found this stashed in Esquire Drinks in the chapter on what to imbibe when you’re dealing with having had a bit too much. I didn’t realize this at the time, as I was looking for something to make with an open bottle of cava, so the hefty pour of whiskey didn’t seem strange to me at all.

When I came back to the book to begin this post, I realized that this is a tipple for the morning after and nearly choked. If I tried to drink one of these the next day, I’d wind up spending more time cuddling the porcelain teddy bear, not less. And really, with a title like Sea Captain’s Special, would you expect a drink that coddles? I didn’t think so, either.

½ teaspoon sugar or 1 sugar cube
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
2½ oz rye
2 dashes absinthe (or Pernod, Herbsaint, etc.)
champagne

Wet sugar with Angostura and a splash of water or club soda in an old-fashioned glass. Muddle and rotate the glass so the sugar coats the sides. Add a large ice cube and pour in the rye. Top with champagne and absinthe.

Yet again, the Sazerac rye wins! This is a hefty drink that’ll put some hair on your chest, but if you like rye it pushes the right buttons. The hint of anise flavor enlivens and adds a very delightful complexity alongside the bitters. I’ll definitely be saving this for a dark, gusty night near the sea when I need a bracing dram. Arrrrr.