cocktail review no. 59 - Hop on Pop

I've been on a rum kick lately. There's just no getting around how perfect a spirit it is. It's tasty, smooth, mellow, and easy, with just the right hint of sweetness that'll complement any fun, summery drink.

And this cocktail, no matter how odd the moniker, is nothing else but a fun, summery drink.

• 1¾ ounces light rum
• 1¾ ounces apricot brandy
• ¼ ounce lime juice

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine all the ingredients. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Whatever you do, don't sip. You can't really embrace this libation if you merely dab at it like a bird. You've got to take a big gulp and swish it around your mouth before you can judge properly.

Unique, isn't it?

The light rum provides a smooth but powerful alcoholic sweetness that is overlaid by the burnished fruity bouquet of the apricot brandy. The lime juice adds a sour kick that offsets the overwhelming sweetness and lends a bit of pucker to an already powerful combo. Best served in a chilled glass, for the coolness of temperature underscores the sugariness. The drink has a fruity flavor, no doubt, but there's a load of booze in it, and that helps assuage the nagging feeling that you're sipping a chick drink. Guys, it's strong enough to warrant your interest. Girls, it's sweet enough to try again, and again, and again.

And afterward, you might wanna hop on Pop...