Sharkbait’s Cocktail of the Week: Wanderlust

Hello once again, and happy long weekend Friday! I trust you’ve all got something entertaining lined up for the bonus day off we all get. For me, I’ll be heading down to New York for an overnight. I’m very much looking forward to that. Speaking of traveling, I came across some pictures I took almost this time last year in Hawaii. Not only did it make me want to go back there, because it was so awesome, it gave me inspiration to finally make the Honolulu # 3. I’ve been sitting on this for a few weeks and life just kinda got in the way. Now that I’ve had a calmer week, this seemed like a good time to use it. Also, it gives me a chance to break out some gin I brought home from Hawaii and use it here. It just makes sense to use it here.

Honolulu #3

2 oz. London Dry Gin

.75 oz. Pierre Ferrand dry curacao.

.25 oz. Fresh lime juice

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 dash Regans’ Orange Bitters

Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

I ended up using triple sec here. I could have sworn I had some curacao, however when I went looking for some, I found not one, not two, but THREE bottles of Triple Sec. I have no idea how that happened. But no curacao, so triple sec it is.

Orange heavy aromas coming off this one. The more I smell, the more gin I pick up. Definitely a little more intense than I would have expected. Though this is the first time I’ve used this gin so it might be a tad stronger than what I’m used to

The sip starts out a little more tart than anticipated. Not bad, just more intense than I would have thought. I think I chalk that up to the Triple Sec, instead of Curacau. I will say this does give off some island vibes, so the name is definitely fitting. Going back to the tartness, it’s almost a bit much for me. The saving grace is that it dissipates fairly quickly. Anything longer and it would be very detrimental to the drink’s appeal.

The gin flavors slide onto the palate when the sour flavors disappear, and I think this is where the drink’s true colors shine. you get the juniper/spice bite from the gin, mixed with a subdued tartness from the lime and the curacao and that provides a great flavor combination. That combo lasts all the way through the end. A bit of citric tartness lingers on the palate a little bit, but again, not enough to ruin the drink.

I’m interested in trying this one again, with curacao to see how the tartness/bitterness is. If changing that doesnt work, I’d definitely back the lime juice down a little bit to give it a bit more balance.

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)