French Tropical: Trouble in Paradise

Photo by Brogen Jessup

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a deep affinity for tropical cocktails. Maybe it’s the raspados and licuados I grew up drinking on frequent trips to Mexico in my youth, but there is just something about a blend of delicious tropical juices over crushed ice that has always appealed to me. Now that I am older, I love applying those same sensibilities into the cocktails that I create. This one below is my attempt to highlight the equatorial fruits and spices that you so often find in a well-made cognac VS. You don’t often see recipes that call for fresh mango juice, probably cause it’s a such pain to juice. This is a real shame as fresh mango juice is out of this world delicious and makes this cognac cocktail one that I am very proud of.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE
2oz VS cognac
.75oz Lime
1oz Mango Juice
.5oz Falernum
.5oz Orgeat
4 dashes Absinthe
2 dashes Angostura bitters

METHOD: Crushed Ice or Pebble Ice
GLASSWARE: Hurricane
GARNISH: Mint Sprig & Lime Wheel