Del Coronado
1/2 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 oz. passion fruit syrup
2 1/2 oz. orange juice
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. papaya nectar
1 oz. gin
1 oz. dark Jamaican rum
Shake well with ice cubes and pour into tall glass.
-from the "Grog Log" by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry
The Del Coronado is fruity. Six of the eight
ingredients are fruit-based, and it really shows in the overall taste.
The orange jumps out front, forming the main flavor, with the passion fruit
close behind. The pineapple, lemon, and lime are less noticeable, meshing
together into an somewhat indistinct fruit blend, with the papaya doing
a bit of drive-by tartness. Lastly, the rum reveals itself on the finish,
giving a quick wave to remind you that there was actually some grown-up
stuff amidst the juice…kind of like finding a tarantula lurking around
in your fruit basket.
But don’t forget the gin. In this drink the
gin plays a supporting but crucial role. You don’t notice it’s flavor so
much as it’s feel. This is a drink that is thick with flavors, and rather
than compete with them, the gin snakes it’s way around the edges, sharpening
things up and keeping it the other ingredients from bogging each other
down.
Maybe it’d be easier (or at least more fun)
to say it this way: If the Del Coronado was a piece of clothing, it’d be
a Hawaiian shirt with a great floral print (the juices), real coconut-shell
buttons (the rum) and silver thread (the gin) stitching it all together.
Sound weird? Have a couple Del Coronados and
maybe it’ll make sense.
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