The Tropical Recipe

Chill glass

Place a tall Collins or tiki glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes, or fill with ice and water while you prepare the cocktail to chill.

Fill a separate shaker or mixing tin halfway with crushed ice so the ingredients will chill quickly without melting too fast.

Combine ingredients

In the shaker or mixing tin with crushed ice, add 2 oz light rum, 0.5 oz dark rum, 3 oz fresh pineapple juice, 1 oz fresh orange juice, 0.5 oz fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz orgeat syrup, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Shake

Cap the shaker and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold and slightly frosted. The crushed ice will help aerate and slightly dilute the drink to balance sweetness.

Prepare glass

If you chilled the glass with ice and water earlier, discard that ice and water now. Add a generous handful of fresh crushed ice to the chilled Collins or tiki glass (about 1 cup).

Double-strain and layer

Strain the shaken mixture over the crushed ice in the glass using a hawthorne or fine strainer to remove small ice shards and any pulp. Pour slowly so the cocktail settles into the ice.

Float dark rum

Carefully pour the 0.5 oz dark/aged rum over the back of a spoon onto the top of the drink to create a light float (if you prefer the dark rum mixed in, simply skip the float and add it in the shaker).

Garnish the drink by skewering a pineapple wedge, orange wheel and maraschino cherry on a pick and resting it on the rim. Slap the mint sprig between your palms to release the aroma and tuck it into the garnish near the rim.

Serve immediately with a straw and a stirrer. Encourage the drinker to stir briefly if they want the dark rum float incorporated. Enjoy within 10–15 minutes while the crushed ice is fresh.