no contest

1 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Ruby Port (Taylor Fladgate)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup 1:1 (Jaggery)
1/4 oz Angostura Bitters
1/4 oz Peychaud's Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a Tiki or Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge (omitted).

Two Fridays ago, I made the No Contest that appeared in TastingTable's Best Cocktails of 2011 article. The drink was created by Paul McGee of Chicago's Whistler and was described as "the thinking drinker's Tiki drink." With a structure of an embittered Bishop calling for Smith & Cross Rum, I was definitely game.
The No Contest began with the aroma of Smith & Cross' funky rum notes along with some rich grape ones from the port. The slightly sweet sip paired up the fruitier elements of the lime and grape, and the swallow got a lot drier with the Smith & Cross flavors, Anogstura's allspice, and Peychaud's anise notes shining through. Overall, the No Contest was rather intense for the Tiki genre, and I was quite pleased at how well the large amount of bitters complemented the ruby port.