Shipwrecked Monk

When we make a batch of our pineapple-infused rum, we tend to go through it rather quickly. It makes a fantastic daiquiri, as you might imagine, and is a good way to intensify the flavor of pineapple in some of our favorite tiki drinks. This Shipwrecked Monk offers a unique way to use the rum, combining it not with pineapple juice, but with yellow chartreuse for an exotically flavored, yet still tropical, drink.

Yellow chartreuse is a liqueur that is made by monks with almost too many herbs and plants to count, and is known for its honeyed herbal flavor. Green chartreuse is slightly more popular these days, but it tends to dominate drinks that it is added to, unless it is paired with similarly strong spirits. The yellow is a bit more subtle and plays much better with other ingredients, letting the sweetness of the pineapple rum and a hint of almond from the orgeat (we used Giffard) come through in the finished cocktail. The result is complex and refreshing, with a great balance of herbs, fruit, citrus and sweetness.

For the 151, we preferred using Lost Spirits Distillery Cuban-Inspired 151, but found that Hamilton worked nicely, as well. We also tried the cocktail with Bacardi and, while it did balance out the alcohol and give the drink more punch, it also toned down the Chartreuse a little and made the cocktail seem a bit less complex. It’s still delicious and drinkable, but you don’t get quite the nuances that you do from the other rums. In short, use a premium 151 if you can, but don’t worry if all you have is Bacardi on hand.

Shipwrecked Monk
2 oz pineapple-infused rum
1/2 oz 151-proof rum
1/2 oz yellow chartreuse
1/4 oz orgeat
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a large rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and pineapple fronds.