kentucky island

1 1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat (BG Reynolds)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Fee's Peach Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail or snifter glass. Float a lime wheel spiked with a mint sprig as garnish (lemon peel with mint).

Two Fridays ago for the start of the cocktail hour, I turned to Sanctuaria, the Dive Bar of Cocktail Bars book and spotted the Kentucky Island. The idea of a whiskey Tiki drink reminded me of Marco Dionysos' Bluegrass Mai Tai and LUPEC-Boston's Ken-Tiki. The book described how the author created the Kentucky Island for Villa Farotto's 2009 summer cocktail menu; when the menu itself never appeared, he brought the drink back to the Sancturia bar.
The Kentucky Island began with a mint aroma with glimmers of pineapple and orgeat poking through on the nose. The sip was lemon and fruity with a thick mouthfeel from the pineapple juice and orgeat syrup. Finally, the swallow began with rye and nutty orgeat flavors and ended with a pineapple and hint of peach finish.