far east algonquin

1 oz Bulleit Rye
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/8 Simple Syrup (2:1?)

Muddle a green cardamom pod with the simple syrup. Add rest of ingredients and ice, shake, and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish the foam from the pineapple juice with a drop of Angostura Bitters.

One of the drinks from the Central American themed-section of the Diageo Cocktails Around the World Happy Hour was created by Ryan Fitzgerald of San Francisco's Beretta. While often associated with other parts of the world, pineapple and cardamom are two major agricultural exports from Central America, so this variation of the classic Algonquin worked quite well with the theme. Ryan enthusiastically explained how the pineapple and cardamom combination was quite mysterious for it was difficult to tell the individual components apart; moreover, these elements worked rather well with whiskey. Indeed, pineapple and cardamom is a great combination that I have experienced in the Punky Monkey and the Indian Summer.
The Far East Algonquin started with pineapple and spice from the Angostura in the aroma, and this pineapple note continued in the sip along with lemon juice. Next, the rye's spice and the cardamom on the swallow finished the drink. While the lemon juice did dry out the drink akin to the classic's French vermouth, it and the cardamom took the Far East Algonquin in a fruitier, more exotic, and easier to drink direction.