Mule's Hind Leg

This is a hodgepodge of a drink with a lot more going on than it needs. It has the maple syrup of other Mule family drinks. The gin seems unnecessary, and could easily be replace by vodka or omitted altogether. There's plenty of flavor here for it to be interesting. The thing I kept noticing was the Benedictine and maple syrup sweetness. Laird's applejack was a nice base, but as my third applejack cocktail, it pretty much assured me that I would have a rough morning the next day.

2 oz. apple brandy or applejack
1 oz. gin
1 tbsp. apricot brandy
1 tbsp. Benedictine
1 tbsp. maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into an old fashioned glass full of fresh ice.