Method
- Add ingredients to a shaker with crushed ice.
- Shake for 5 seconds.
- Strain into a lowball glass filled with crushed ice.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
About the Test Pilot
The Test Pilot is a complex sour-style tiki drink featuring a blend of Jamaican and light rums, sweetened with falernum and balanced by lime juice and triple sec. The addition of absinthe and bitters gives it a distinctive herbal complexity. Created by Donn Beach, it represents one of the more frequently imitated tiki cocktails with various versions appearing over time.
History
Created by Donn Beach, the Test Pilot is a vintage tiki cocktail with multiple versions. Beach's original recipe included different combinations of rums, falernum, lime juice, and sometimes absinthe or bitters. Other bars created similar versions under different names like Jet Pilot, adding variations like grapefruit juice or cinnamon syrup.