Patrick Varner

I second this substitution. Why spoil the other two, naturally-flavored ingredients with an artificial one?
1/2 oz Poire Williams Pear Brandy
3/4oz Benedictine
3/4oz Cognac

Your palate, or your choice of mint may be to blame. Preference for mint varies as widely as cilantro/coriander leaf. To me, peach and honey dominate the mint. I enjoy a 2:1 mix of spearmint and peppermint. Grow ‘Black Mitcham’ mint if you can find it.

Gentian and cacao compete for mainstage, dancing between symphony and cacophony. All my friends hate it.
I bought a satchet of genepi from Vars, France, just to make this convoluted drink.

Stick with mild, minimally-aged vermouths - Cocchi, Lillet, and Carpano overpower the genever. Nothing like a martini.