Trinity Recipe

Prepare honey water

Place 1 tbsp honey in a small bowl or jar. Add 1 tbsp hot (not boiling) water and stir until the honey fully dissolves to create a 1:1 honey syrup. Stir in 0.25 tsp Islay Scotch to lightly smoke and flavor the honey water. Taste and adjust: add a few more drops of Islay Scotch if you want more peat, but keep it subtle. Let cool to room temperature before using.

Prepare strawberry purée (if not using pre-made)

Hull and roughly chop one medium fresh strawberry. Mash or blitz with a fork or small blender until smooth. Strain briefly through a fine sieve if you prefer a silkier texture. Measure out 0.75 oz.

Build and shake

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Bacardi Ocho, 0.5 oz dark cacao liqueur, 0.75 oz fresh strawberry purée, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz cooled Islay honey water, 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 1 dash orange bitters. Add a large handful of ice to the shaker.

Shake and strain

Shake vigorously for 12–18 seconds until the shaker is well chilled and slightly frosted. Double-strain the mixture through a fine strainer into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to remove ice shards and any strawberry solids.

Finish and garnish

Express a light twist of orange peel over the drink (optional) and discard or use as garnish. Float the halved strawberry or a thin slice on the surface. Finish by grating a small amount (about 0.25 tsp) of dark chocolate or sprinkling cacao nibs over the top to accentuate the cacao notes.

Serve immediately while chilled. The cocktail balances aged rum warmth, cacao depth, bright strawberry, subtle peat from the Islay honey water, and bitters for length and complexity.