hawaiian room

1 oz Rum (Appleton V/X)
1/2 oz Applejack (Morin Selection Calvados)
1/2 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Saturdays ago, I delved into Ted Saucier's Bottoms Up and discovered a drink named after the Hawaiian Room at the Hotel Lexington in New York City. In 1937, the hotel converted their unsuccessful basement dining room into a Hawaiian themed extravaganza that included a band, hula dancers, South Seas decor, and Polynesian food. Often touted as pre-Tiki, the success of this venture helped to launch Hawaiian rooms in other locations. In mixology lore, one of the people associated with the room's success was Joseph Baum; in one of Joe's later ventures, he influenced a young Dale Degroff and introduced Dale to Jerry Thomas' Bon-Vivant’s Companion.
The Hawaiian Room presented a fruity aroma from the pineapple juice and orange liqueur. With a lemon and orange sip, the apple and rum notes filled the swallow along with the pineapple. With the rum and apple flavors, the Hawaiian Room reminded me of the peach- instead of pineapple-driven Everyman Afterall created at Jbird, a mere 30 blocks away from the Hotel Lexington.