chimp in orbit

1 1/2 oz Gold Puerto Rican Rum (Flor de Caña Añejo Oro)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Tempus Fugit)
3 oz Lemon Juice
3 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a bamboo Tiki mug, and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime shell (lemon shell) with overproof rum (El Dorado 151) and ignite.

Two Wednesdays, I was in a tropical mood, so I turned to the Tiki Triangle book that I had just finished on my train ride back from New York City. I was lured in by the Chimp in Orbit recipe that had been sourced from Beachbum Berry's 10th Anniversary Sippin' Safari, for it reminded me of a Floridita from Cuba given the sweet vermouth, crème de cacao, grenadine, and lime, as well as Trader Vic's Tortuga which also included the curaçao and orange juice to that combination. The drink was originally created in the 1960s and named after the 1961 chimp named Ham that went into outer space during NASA's Project Mercury.

The Chimp in Orbit launched to the nose with an orange and chocolate bouquet. Next, lemon, orange, and grape on the sip transitioned to rum, chocolate, and orange peel notes on the swallow. Overall, it was much more juice- and less rum-driven than the Tortuga.