Started a DIY Hercules.
There is lots of ink spilled on what exactly this is, but it's something that many Savoy cocktails use. The best description seems to be:
"We have discovered conclusive evidence it was a fortified wine aperitif, spiced, and juiced up with Yerba Mate."
Recipe from Erik Ellestad:
Hercules #5
1 Stick Cassia Cinnamon, crushed
2 tsp. Coriander Seed, crushed
3 Cardamom Pods, crushed
8 Whole Cloves, crushed
1 tsp. Quinine Powder
1 tsp Gentian Root
1/4 Cup Yerba Mate
1 bag peppermint tea
Rind 2 Seville Oranges
Rind 1/2 Valencia Orange
1/2 cup Raw Sugar
750ml Quady Elektra Orange Muscat
1/4 cup Osocalis Brandy
METHOD: Combine spices, peel, yerba mate and wine. Heat to 160 degrees. Add mint and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Filter through chinois and add Brandy. Let stand for at least a day. Pour liquid off of sediment and through a coffee filter and bottle.
I more or less followed the recipe, the most noticeable substitution was the Brandy to take it up a notch (actually, this was the only brandy I had, other than Calvados and Absinthe). It took a while to track things down, so if anyone wants some of the raw ingredients here, let me know as I have plenty.
Pics!