Test Pilot
ClassicA two-rum Beachcomber classic with an absinthe whisper.
Rich and aromatic, with two rums building a deep molasses core. Falernum brings clove and almond, orange liqueur adds a citrus lift, and the absinthe leaves a faint anise haze over the top — complex and grown-up.
Ingredients
- 1 oz White Rum
- 1 oz Dark Rum
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.5 oz Falernum
- 0.5 oz Orange Liqueur
- 1 dash Absinthe
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
- Cherry · optional garnish
- Lime wheel · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Add every ingredient to a shaker with crushed ice.
- 2
Shake hard until well chilled.
- 3
Strain into a chilled coupe.
- 4
Garnish with a cherry and a lime wheel.
The Story
The Test Pilot is another of Donn Beach's coded 1940s creations, its recipe reconstructed by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry from surviving bar notes. It pairs a light and a dark rum with falernum, orange liqueur, and a single dash of absinthe that perfumes the whole drink without overwhelming it. The name salutes the aviators of tiki's golden, aviation-obsessed age.
Recipe card
The whole recipe in one shareable image.
