Cocktail Boothby's American Bar-Tender by Wm. T. Boothby (1891, p.48)

0.5 glassbrandy — good cognacbase
0.5 glasslime cordial — lime juice cordialbase
  1. Half fill a sherry glass with lime juice cordial.
  2. Carefully pour cognac down the side until full, keeping it on top, then set the cognac afire before serving.

This is a useful hybrid checkpoint between layered after-dinner miniatures and flaming service theatrics.

The visual separation of layers and the final ignition are both central to the drink's identity.

See also: Pousse Cafe, Pousse L'Amour

Boothby cautions against letting the layers run together.