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The Pink Coral runs three tropical juices at once, guava, passion fruit and pineapple, and then adds Passoa on top, which is itself a passion fruit liqueur. Doubling the passion fruit is deliberate. The liqueur brings sweetness and a rounder, candied version of the flavor, while the juice keeps the sharp edge that stops the whole thing turning to syrup.
What saves this from being a fruit cup is the dash of Angostura. Seven ounces of sweet liquid with an ounce and a half of vodka in it has no business tasting like a cocktail, and the bitters are the only structural element in the glass. Guava is the unusual inclusion, since it is thick and floral and rarely shows up outside of drinks built specifically around it. Serving this in a wine glass rather than a tall one is the right instinct for something this aromatic.
Glass: Red wine glass | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 4 minutes
Bartenders tip: Do not skip the bitters, because without them this is fruit punch with vodka in it. A second dash is usually an improvement. The original says to garnish with tropical fruit if available, which is a polite way of saying use what you have, and a pineapple wedge is the reliable version of that. Guava nectar is easier to find than guava juice and works fine, though it is thicker, so shake harder than you think you need to. Fresh passion fruit pulp instead of juice is a genuine upgrade if you can get it.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Passoa
- 3 oz Pineapple Juice
- 1 oz Guava Juice
- 1 oz Passion-fruit Juice
- 1 tbsp Grenadine
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
- 1 pineapple wedge, to garnish
Steps
- Shake all ingredients with ice.
- Pour into a large goblet or red wine glass.
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge and serve.
