September 21, 2018 – On Saturday, the sun will be directly over the Equator marking the Autumnal or Fall Equinox, so summon your inner Druid and mark the occasion with the appropriately named cocktail:  Star of Autumn.

Most of us won’t make it to Stonehenge, the 5,000 year-old ring of giant stones in Wiltshire, England, or a Mayan temple in Chichen Itza, Mexico, venues recommended for marking this celestial event, but we can make a decent cocktail to welcome autumn and all the beauty that comes with it.

Star of Autumn is made with Facundo Neo rum, Bacardi’s premium range of rum, with the addition of the season’s flavors of apple and maple syrup but blessedly free of pumpkin.  There’s plenty of time for pumpkin everything.

The sun will be directly over the Equator at 9:54 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time so it is a perfect nightcap.  If you are on the west coast, it will be 6:45 p.m.  Time for pre-dinner drinks.  But any time is a good time for a splendid cocktail.

Star of Autumn

1 ½ parts Facundo Neo Rum

1 part Laird’s Applejack

¼ part maple syrup

¼ part lemon juice

Apple wheel (Green or Granny Smith) for garnish

Method:  Shake all ingredients with plenty of ice.  Strain into a coupe glass.  Garnish with a thin apple wedge or curled apple peel.

/end