Across The Pacific
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17.7% ABV ∙
Across the Pacific is a tiki sour built on two rums — Caribbean aged and overproof Jamaican — plus amaro, lime, and orgeat, shaken and served over ice. Rich almond sweetness meets a bittersweet amaro undertow, with tart lime and a hit of funky, high-proof rum on the finish — a slow-sipping after-dinner pour.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Caribbean aged rum 30 mlJamaican aged rum 15 mlAmaro 15 mlLime juice 25 mlOrgeat (almond) syrup 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes
- Strain into the glass filled with crushed ice
- Dust with freshly grated nutmeg and garnish with a lime wheel
Tips
- Shake hard with cracked ice for a full 12-15 seconds to properly dilute and chill the drink before straining.
- Measure the overproof Jamaican rum carefully alongside the Caribbean rum; it's a smaller portion but drives most of the aroma, so overpouring will unbalance the amaro and lime.
- Strain over fresh ice in the old-fashioned glass rather than serving up, since the diluted volume needs a large single cube or several cubes to stay cold without over-diluting.
- Grate nutmeg directly over the drink just before serving so the oils bloom on contact, then float a lime wheel rather than dropping it in.
History
The Across the Pacific is a modern cocktail credited to Meaghan Dorman, bar director and partner of Raines Law Room and Dear Irving in New York City. It is generally dated to 2020, when Dorman developed the recipe at Raines Law Room. The drink is built as a variation on the Mai Tai, replacing the orange liqueur typically used in that cocktail with an Italian amaro, most commonly Averna.
FAQ
What is in an Across the Pacific?
Two rums — a Caribbean aged rum and an overproof Jamaican rum — plus amaro, fresh lime juice, and orgeat, with optional aromatic bitters, shaken and served over ice with grated nutmeg and a lime wheel.
Is Across the Pacific shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The lime juice and orgeat need the aeration and quick chill of a hard shake, which also helps the almond syrup blend smoothly into the rum and amaro base.
What glass is Across the Pacific served in?
An old-fashioned glass over ice, finished with grated nutmeg and a lime wheel.
Can I use one rum instead of two in Across the Pacific?
You can, but the drink loses its layered character; the Caribbean aged rum gives smooth body while the overproof Jamaican rum adds a sharp, funky top note that a single rum can't replicate on its own.
