— Cocktails in Motion —

Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar's Temple of the Forbidden Rye

Recipe by Melissa Nickoloff
Photos by Katrina Frederick

Editor’s Note: In this summer’s seventh annual “Evening of Tiki” series, Hollywood’s The Spare Room hosts a rotating monthly lineup of guest bartenders serving Angelenos their inventive cocktails with an island spin. We caught up with Melissa Nickoloff, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Room’s bartender, who shared one of her most recent concoctions and its inspiration with Life & Thyme.

At Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, I love that we make magic on a daily basis. I wanted to create something unique for the tiki crowd that didn’t involve rum but still had some of the favorite ingredients commonly used in classic tiki cocktails. This drink was inspired by The Lions Tail, a bourbon drink made with allspice and lime, and I thought I could make something a little more in the tiki genre that starts with that same allspice and whiskey. For this cocktail, my preference is rye whiskey; I enjoy the fruity, spicy notes it adds to mixed drinks, and it fits perfectly alongside the allspice dram.

Temple of the Forbidden Rye

Ingredients
– 1.75 oz. rye whiskey
– 0.5 oz. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
– 1 oz. pineapple juice
– 0.5 oz. lime juice
– 0.5 oz. ginger syrup
– 0.25 oz. Falernum
– 2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Method: Combine all ingredients, shake and strain over ice. Optionally, garnish with lime, a flaming sugar cube, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

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