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Cocktail History
The Privateer is a modern tiki cocktail that was created by Chris Vanderginst at Mutiny Bar in Detroit, Michigan. It was his belief that tiki “should evolve with the people and the community” and that bartenders should continue to innovate with spirits outside of the classic rum when choosing a base. His choice of tequila here is an example of that; by using a non-traditional base spirit and pairing it with other classic tiki flavors such as passion fruit, pineapple, and lime, he created an inventive variation on a classic template.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Tequila Reposado: This is a type of tequila made in Mexico with blue agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged from two to twelve months. We used Arette Tequila Reposado because it has a light and peppery flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Ritual Zero-Proof Tequila Alternative in place of the tequila.
Passion Fruit Syrup: This is a sweetener made with passion fruit juice, cane sugar, and gum Arabic powder. We used Liber & Co. Tropical Passion Fruit Syrup because it has a tangy, fresh flavor.
Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid juice of a pineapple. We used fresh pineapple juice.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Smoke & Salt Bitters: This is a food product made with lapsang souchong tea, sea salt, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Crude Bitters “Pooter” Smoke & Salt Bitters.
Rosemary Sprig: This is an evergreen herb.
Tajín: This is a Mexican spice made with peppers, lime, and salt.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices for the garnish. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.
Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer for the lime and the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer for the pineapple.
Tasting Notes
The Privateer features aromas of smoky rosemary, Tajín, and passion fruit and has a very easy taste that blends passion fruit and tequila, both of which are balanced by lime before fading into the lingering flavor of smoky pineapple.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: In homage to Chris Vanderginst’s ideals, we made a few innovations of our own to the original Privateer recipe and created this variation. When making ours, we added a Tajín rim for more fragrance and flavor and swapped the salt for Crude Bitters and Sodas “Pooter” Smoke & Salt Bitters to add aspects slightly reminiscent of mezcal without its overpowering characteristics. After making those tweaks, we both thought this drink tasted as fruity and delicious as it is beautiful. We will certainly be revisiting it before the warmer weather leaves us.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I quite liked this drink. The use of tequila instead of rum is a nice change, and you really can’t mess up a drink with three different kinds of delicious fruit flavor. It was definitely a very sweet drink, and I think on my palate it could benefit from a bit more citrus; I also think the 1 ½ oz of tequila could be upped for a bit more spirit-forwardness, since the cocktail is already packed with all of the other non-spirit ingredients. Our addition of the smoke and salt bitters really made a big difference, I think, giving it a very slight mezcal tinge without all of the loud mezcal flavors, and a Tajín rim is never out of place on a glass filled with the agave spirit.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“If you enjoy passion fruit juice, you are in for a treat with this tiki cocktail! I thought it was tangy, easy to drink, and a nice break from rum. The only change I’d make to it is omitting the Tajín rim. That was Alex’s very creative addition, and while it certainly pairs great with the fruity flavors, I’ve just never really been a fan and would rather drink it sans flavored rim. Other than that, this is a tasty sip for summertime.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.
Pour Tajín onto a plate, rub part of outer rim with lime wedge, and roll in Tajín until coated.
Add tequila, passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice, lime juice, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass or tiki glass over fresh cracked ice.
Flame the end of rosemary sprig and drop into glass to garnish.
Ingredients
Directions
Pour Tajín onto a plate, rub part of outer rim with lime wedge, and roll in Tajín until coated.
Add tequila, passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice, lime juice, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass or tiki glass over fresh cracked ice.
Flame the end of rosemary sprig and drop into glass to garnish.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Ritual Zero-Proof Tequila Alternative in place of the tequila to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Tropical Cocktails
If you like this tropical-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Junior Colada: A pineapple rum cocktail made with coconut liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, coconut soda, and pineapple fronds
Smoky Pineapple Margarita: A tequila and mezcal cocktail made with triple sec, lime juice, pineapple gum syrup, Tajín, a lime wedge, and a lime slice
Something Tequila: A tequila cocktail made with pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice, simple syrup, passion fruit syrup, a lime slice, a mint sprig, and flowers
Tia Mia: A mezcal and rum cocktail made with lime juice, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup, a lime wheel, a mint sprig, and an orchid blossom
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