There was some leftover pineapple juice in the house this weekend from making a pork tenderloin marinade. Since it’s not a juice I’d normally drink on its own, I wondered if it could find a place in our Sunday afternoon cocktails.
Most classic cocktails that feature pineapple juice lean toward rum or tequila — piña coladas, margaritas, mojitos, and the like. But the Algonquin stands apart as a whiskey-based drink. Named after the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, this three-ingredient cocktail is built around rye whiskey.
The Algonquin
- 1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
- 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth
- 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
For our version, I used Bulleit 12-Year Rye (the Algonquin Hotel uses WhistlePig Rye according to their website). The aroma from the glass was pineapple-forward, as expected. On the palate, the rye’s spice cut through, but pineapple remained the dominant note. The drink was slightly bitter, light in body, and overall, quite refreshing.
I enjoyed the Algonquin, though I felt it was missing a little something for my taste. As I sipped, I couldn’t help but wonder if a dash of orange bitters might brighten things up. While the classic recipe sticks to just three ingredients, further digging revealed variations that include orange or Peychaud’s bitters, lime juice, or even a touch of simple syrup.
It’s certainly a cocktail worth experimenting with further.
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