Coral Current

 

Story

The journey to the Coral Current began with the search for a tiki-style punch that didn't overlap with the other three cocktails on the menu at a party.  The Mai Tai (rum and lime), Saturn (gin and passion fruit), and Elusive Dreams (rum and pineapple) covered a lot of territory flavor-wise, so finding something different was a challenge. I tried a Scorpion Bowl (too similar to the Mai Tai), the Ancient Mariner (too rum-forward for a punch drink) and several other tiki concoctions without success.  I didn't have a grapefruit flavor in the mix, so I thought of the classic Paloma cocktail (tequila, lime juce, and grapefruit soda).  While not really a tiki drink, it has a sufficiently sandy-beach vibe to sit alongside the other cocktails without clashing.  The Aperol Paloma is a common variant that adds some mildly bitter complexity.  And while the blanco tequila was lovely in combination with the citrus, a switch to lightly aged blended rum put the flavors firmly in the right category.  And while I could go for the classic Squirt grapefruit soda, I prefer the less sweet combination of fresh grapefruit juice, soda water, and a bit of agave nectar.  This particular combination didn't yet have a name, so I looked at the coral pink color and thought of the oceanside mindset I was shooting for.  The Coral Current was born.

Recipe
1 oz lightly aged blended rum (Planteray 3-star)
1 oz Aperol
2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
0.5 oz lime juice
0.25 tsp agave nectar or simple syrup
2 oz chilled club soda
-Shake everything but the club soda with ice. Strain over fresh ice and add the sparkling water.  Stir gently.
-To make a punch instead: scale up ingredients proportionally.  Combine everything except club soda in punch bowl with ice or ice ring.  Add club soda and stir gently.