The Jet Pilot bares a striking resemblance to the Zombie, because with just a few more tweaks and a little more rum, your Jet Pilot can make the jump to full blown Zombie. While the Zombie may have gotten its name from its ability to keep someone going, the Jet Pilot is one of a handful of cocktails named for the ever increasing space race of the 1950s and 60s. Even if this cocktails name seems out of this world, it’s actually perfect for a lazy afternoon at the shore.
Jet Pilot
Delightfully boozy but balanced, the Jet Pilot is a masterful way to the see the interactions of the different rums. With deeply caramelized sugar and molasses notes from the black styles, the reserve imparts flavors of tropical fruits. The flavors range from fermented banana to orange marmalade and hints of tea like spices. Bolstered by the citrus from the grapefruit and lime, it blends seamlessly. None the less, the strength implies that takeoff is now imminent.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
A lot of how the Jet Pilot comes out is dictated by the blend of rums you choose. For our first iteration, we used Plantation O.F.T.D., Goslings, and Appleton Estate Reserve. This resulted in the description listed immediately after the drink, and it was fantastic. We also have a soft spot for Goslings 151 though, and remaking the drink while swapping out the O.F.T.D. ended up giving the drink a caramelized and grilled tropical fruit flavor while turning down some of the tea notes. These subtle tweaks are simple enough to make, but ultimate result in a completely different drink.
- Overproof Black Blended Rum – Due to the concentration of flavor, the decision of which rum you select has a big impact on how the Jet Pilot comes out. We used Plantation O.F.T.D here on our first go, but we also greatly enjoyed Goslings 151 on the second. For something more adventurous, try Lemon Hart & Son 151.
- Black Blended Rum – We used Goslings here, it’s the most readily available and works great in cocktails.
- Aged Rum – Using Appleton Reserve here gave a lot of tropical fruit notes and funk to add another dimension to the drink. You could also use Doorly’s X.O. or Plantation 20th Anniversary, the later of which would considerably drive up the cost of making this drink.
- Falernum – We use John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, but feel free to substitute your preference.
- Cinnamon Syrup – Combine 250g of sugar, 250g of water, and 10 grams of cinnamon broken into 1″ pieces in a pan. Add heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup reaches a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, strain cinnamon pieces from syrup using a chinios and coffee filter. Add .5 oz of Everclear / overproof vodka and shake gentle for 1 -2 seconds to combine. Store in fridge. Discard if no longer transparent / any hazy develops
- Grapefruit & Lime Juice – Use fresh squeezed for best results.
- Herbstura – This herbal liqueur is not available everywhere. To replace it, add 1 part Angostura Bitters to 1 part Pernod (or absinthe). Stir. To measure a dash, add .04 to .08 oz (or a couple of bar straws worth) to your shaker tin.
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