The house Old-Fashioned at Santa Barbara’s Strange Beast takes a tropical turn. Built on a split base of Japanese whisky and pandan-infused aged Bajan rum, the drink gets the addition of a housemade banana peel and pandan syrup, plus a few dashes of both Angostura bitters and macadamia nut liqueur, for a crowd-pleasing take on the classic.
Strange Beast Old-Fashioned
Brandon Ristaino | Santa Barbara, California
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces Japanese whisky, preferably Matsui blended Japanese whisky
- 1/2 ounce pandan leaf–infused rum (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 teaspoon banana peel and pandan syrup (see Editor’s Note)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 dashes macadamia nut liqueur
Garnish: orange twist
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir to combine.
- Strain into a double Old-Fashioned glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with orange twist.
Editor's Note
Pandan Leaf–Infused Rum
Add 2 large pandan leaves to a 750-milliliter bottle of aged rum, preferably Real McCoy 5-year. Infuse for 24 hours. Strain, bottle, and store indefinitely.
Banana Peel and Pandan Syrup
500 milliliters purified water
920 grams organic cane sugar
1 pinch salt
4 pandan leaves, sliced into 4-inch pieces
2 banana peels, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 orange peel, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 ounce vodka
Blend the water, sugar and salt until completely dissolved. Add to a large container.
To the container, add pandan leaves, banana peels and orange peel. Let the mixture infuse for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Use a cheesecloth to strain the syrup, removing all sediment.
Fortify with 1 ounce vodka.
Keeps, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.