It certainly feels tropical in Tennessee today, all the humidity with none of those pesky, cool ocean breezes to blow your parasol away. Still, it makes me want a boat drink, something with a little umbrella, so I’m gonna try one I have  been looking forward to, the Halekulani. 

This one has been on my radar for a while. Our plan was to finally go to Hawaii this August and one of my first stops was going to be the House Without a Key in Waikiki to try this famous cocktail, but those plans got 2020’d. It’s a shame too cause this drink is right up my alley, a tiki drink with a bourbon base, plus there is fire involved.

So grab your tins and put in a 1/2  ounce of lime, orange and pineapple juices, 1/4 ounce of Demerara syrup and a heavy barspoon of grenadine. That ought to be sweet enough to wake the devils. Top that with 1 1/2 ounces of a fine bourbon style whiskey, I went with Michter’s Unblended American, cause it is tasty. Grab some ice and shake till your fingers get cold. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with whatever is handy, I went with an orange slice and an umbrella, but an orchid would be nice, maybe some pineapple spears, you be you. Here comes the fun part, put some angostura bitters in an atomizer and spray it over a match or other approved open flame, straight into the drink. It’s beautiful, smells wonderful and just feels good. I did mine two or three times, then made another for Laura so I could do it some more. I’ve included a picture, for your edification. 

Kissed by fire…

This drink is so good and surprisingly not that sweet. With all those juices and dem and grenadine, I figured this one was gonna be cloying, but the whiskey reins it all in. Really, really lovely. So there you go, a simple whiskey based cocktail to help you keep your cool on a tropical Tennessee afternoon, I even feel a breeze, blowing my umbrella from one side of the glass to the other, must be a storm coming. Stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.