Curiosity
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 21% ABV ∙
The Curiosity is a shaken cocktail of Caribbean aged rum, Pedro Ximénez sherry, gentian liqueur, vanilla syrup and cold Earl Grey tea.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Caribbean aged rum 60 mlPedro Ximénez sherry 20 mlGentian liqueur 10 mlVanilla syrup 10 mlEarl Grey tea 5 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Brew the Earl Grey well ahead and chill it; warm tea melts the ice in the shaker and waters the drink down.
- Gentian liqueur is potent and bitter, so keep it to 10 ml; a heavy pour buries the vanilla and the sherry.
History
The Curiosity was created by Austrian bartender Kenny Klein of Maniac Bar in Bad Ischl, Austria, as his entry for the 2017 Bacardí Legacy Global Cocktail Competition, an annual contest in which bartenders from around the world develop original drinks built around Bacardí rum. Klein devised the cocktail as a tribute to Bacardí founder Don Facundo Bacardí, who established the company's original distillery in Santiago de Cuba in 1862. He framed the drink's concept around the idea that curiosity was the trait linking the pioneering distiller to bartenders striving to create their own lasting recipes, which inspired the cocktail's name.
FAQ
What is in a Curiosity cocktail?
Caribbean aged rum, Pedro Ximénez sherry, a gentian liqueur such as Suze or Salers, vanilla syrup, and cold Earl Grey tea, shaken and served up.
Is a Curiosity shaken or stirred?
Shaken with ice, then fine-strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
What glass is a Curiosity served in?
A cocktail glass, served up and finished with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry.
Is a Curiosity cocktail vegan?
Yes, by its ingredients: none of them is an animal product, and the drink is also lactose-free. Strict vegans may still want to check the sherry, since some wines, sherry included, are clarified with animal-derived fining agents such as egg white or casein.
What does a Curiosity cocktail taste like?
Rich and bitter-edged. Pedro Ximénez sherry brings raisin and dark sugar sweetness, the gentian liqueur adds a quinine-like bitterness, and cold Earl Grey tea contributes tannin and a faint citrus-bergamot note. At roughly 21% ABV it drinks softer than a spirit-forward cocktail.
