A Coy Decoy

 

Story

As we know, many tiki drinks feature blends of multiple rums to achieve certain flavor profiles.  Don the Beachcomber famously said, “What one rum can’t do, three rums can.”  Modern gins also incorporate a variety of interesting flavors and can benefit from this blending approach.  Bartender Chris Coy of the Indianapolis bar The Inferno Room employs this strategy in A Coy Decoy.  Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin is an American gin that features cucumber flavors along with herbs and traditional juniper. By combining that with a traditional London Dry gin, Coy adds a subtle twist to this tiki-inspired cocktail.  Pineapple and citrus bring in a bright tiki vibe – I’m particularly fond of the Giffard grapefruit liqueur, which seems to make everything better.  Aromatic bitters would take things in an unexpected direction, so instead the cocktail uses a citrus-based bitters to support the theme.  You can top this with mint if you like, but I drink it without a garnish.  Repeatedly.  Cheers!

Recipe

1 oz London dry gin (Fords or Beefeater)
0.5 oz cucumber-forward gin (Uncle Val’s or Hendricks)
0.75 oz grapefruit liqueur (Giffard crème de Pamplemousse)
0.75 oz pineapple juice
0.75 oz lime juice
4 drops citrus bitters (Bittercube Grapefruit Hibiscus or Bittermens Boston Bittahs)

-shake with pebble or cracked ice.  Dump into a tall glass.  Top with additional ice.