I have had this a couple times and not very impressed with it. Strange enough I was looking through the Craft of the Cocktail and Dale DeGroff had a completely different version but stated it was served at the Algonquin Hotel....hmmm either way it sounded tastier then the original I've always known. 2oz light rum, 1/2oz blackberry brandy, 1/2oz Benedictine, 1/2 oz lime juice. Shaken, strained, cocktail, cherry garnish. Anyone else read anywhere to substantiate Mr DeGroffs claimed version?
Is this the best drink you're ever going to have? Definitely not. But I have to admit this is one I come back to over and over again. Maybe it's just that outside of tiki there's not all that much to do with pineapple juice before it spoils, but I think it's more than that. This drink reminds me of a style of cocktail that doesn't seem to exist anymore. I get the same vibe with a number of different classics that combine vermouth and citrus. It just tastes so unique. Every cocktail bar has the same menu of riffs...Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Daiquiri, Negroni, etc. but no one is making stuff that tastes like this. Sure it's a little rough around the edges, but that's what makes it so good.