Jet Pilot
ClassicA tightly-wound tiki classic — three rums, citrus, and a whisper of absinthe.
Deep and complex without being heavy. The overproof rum drives it, grapefruit and lime keep it bright, and cinnamon and falernum add a warm, spiced sweetness. Absinthe hums underneath as an aromatic edge you notice more than taste. Powerful, layered, and dangerously smooth for its strength.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Dark Rum
- 0.75 oz Aged Rum
- 0.75 oz Overproof Rum
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.5 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
- 0.5 oz Cinnamon Syrup
- 0.5 oz Falernum
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
- 1 dash Absinthe
- Mint sprig · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Add every ingredient to a shaker with a scoop of crushed ice.
- 2
Flash-blend or shake hard until frosty and well-integrated.
- 3
Pour unstrained into a rocks glass and top with more crushed ice.
- 4
Garnish with a mint sprig.
The Story
The Jet Pilot is a tightened descendant of Don the Beachcomber's Test Pilot, first mixed around 1958 at the Luau in Beverly Hills. Like most tiki drinks of the era its exact formula was a guarded secret, written in code to keep rival bars from copying it, and it survives today largely thanks to Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, who cracked and published the recipe decades later. It's the archetypal tiki build: three rums stacked for depth, citrus for lift, and spice and absinthe for the aromatic snap.
Recipe card
The whole recipe in one shareable image.
