The origins of this cocktail are rather simple. I was finishing my review for Ron Barcelo Imperial Rum, and I was struggling with a concept for a suitable cocktail. The Barcelo rum has a very complex flavour profile, but it also seemed to taste different every time I tried it. It would be rough and bitter one day, complex and bittersweet the next. I decided the rum easily picked up cues from my own palate and mood. So I decided to do a complex `mood´ cocktail. I chose pineapple and lime juice as the base so that the rum would take its cues from those relatively powerful juice flavours. I then added a touch of Cointreau for style (and a little sweet orange flavour), and finally a sloe gin float to sink in and tie everything together. The mood I was setting was of whimsical relaxation. Indeed this drink is particularly good when I am overworked, and I just want to unwind, relax and have a good time. The first version of the cocktail I called the Dominican Afternoon Delight or DAD`s cocktail as it became known as in my kitchen. And when a Dominican Rum such as Barcello is used then that name is entirely appropriate. But the more general name Afternoon Delight is more fitting when you use other dark complex rums. And, by the way, I do consider this a cocktail made especially for a dark rum that has spent some time in an oak barrel.
I liked the cocktail so much that I sent a copy to forrest, to see what he thought. His reaction was entirely positive saying and I quote “MAKE ME ONE AND YOU BETTER MAKE IT 2”. Thus the idea of forrest approved cocktails was born.
This all leads to a link to the actual cocktail recipe, the original “forrest Approved Cocktail”:
The Afternoon Delight
Please enjoy in a responsible manner, remember the aim is not to drink more, it is to drink better!
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Note: This cocktail started a bit of a collaboration between forrest and myself. I write a review, I run some cocktail ideas by him, he tells me when they are good; he tells me when they are bad; or he tweaks them if that’s all they need. Sometimes we share the results with each of us placing the cocktails on our site at the same time as well as our own reviews of the particular spirit which led to the colloaboration. And I should point out, I am getting by far the best end of this deal.
