Curiosity
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 23.5% ABV ∙
The Curiosity is a shaken rum sour built on Caribbean aged rum, Pedro Ximénez sherry, gentian liqueur, vanilla syrup, and cold Earl Grey tea. Raisined sherry sweetness and dark rum lead, cold tea tannin dries the middle, and a bitter gentian edge lingers into the finish — a slow, contemplative after-dinner sip.
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 fully — warm tea added to the shaker will melt the ice too fast and dilute the drink.
- Shake hard and long enough to chill five ingredients evenly; a short shake leaves the sherry tasting separate from the rum.
- Measure the gentian liqueur carefully — it is potent and bitter, and a heavy pour will flatten the vanilla and sherry underneath.
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-brewed Earl Grey tea, shaken and served up. The tea and gentian liqueur set it apart from a standard rum sour, adding a tannic edge and a bitter backbone.
Is a Curiosity shaken or stirred?
Shaken. With rum, sherry, syrup, and tea all going into the glass, a hard shake is needed to chill and integrate everything evenly; stirring would leave it thin and unblended.
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. Every component — rum, sherry, gentian liqueur, vanilla syrup, and tea — is plant-based, so the drink is vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free as served.
What does a Curiosity cocktail taste like?
It tastes richer and more bitter than a typical rum sour: 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 23.5% ABV it drinks softer than a spirit-forward cocktail, with a dry, lingering finish rather than a sharp one.
