This week's Cocktailian column features the Monkey Gland, a drink with an atrocious name but not a bad taste. I was surprised to learn that the version I've been making of this drink is the English version, albeit I make it slighly different than how the professor suggests here.

I started making this one recently because I bought an entire bottle of Absente and didn't like the traditional method of drinking it (with water and sugar, in a fairly elaborate preparation). Perhaps the absence of wormwood affected the taste of that as well, at least in the sense that once you start hallucinating, who cares what it tastes like.

On the other hand, I do like the taste of anis (the pricipal flavor of black licorice), just not as much as Absente straight. I searched through my cocktail books for a drink that used Absente or Absinthe and that's how I came across the Monkey Gland. I've discovered that the way I like it best is to prepare the drink in the shaker without the Absente, and instead use the Absente to prepare the glass by pouring a measure (1/2 oz.) in the glass, twirl it around so all the sides are coated, then pour it out. This gives the drink just the right hint of anis without being cloying.