John The Baptist

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Cocktail History

The John The Baptist is a tiki cocktail that was created by Long Thai in New York City, New York. Unlike other tiki drinks, this one takes inspiration from Ireland and uses blended Irish whiskey in place of the usual rum. It then pairs the spirit with an unexpected list of ingredients, including apricot, white chocolate, pineapple, pistachio, cream, matcha green tea, absinthe, mint, and nutmeg, to make a thick and rich recipe with a light green color fit for St. Patrick’s Day.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Irish Whiskey: This is a type of whiskey made in Ireland made with unmalted or malted barley, cereal grains, spices, and water. We used Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey because it has a rich, warming taste. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the Irish whiskey.

Apricot Brandy: This is a liqueur made with apricots, spices, sugar, and brandy. We used Phillips Apricot Brandy because it’s flavorful and affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative and Monin Premium Stone Fruit Syrup in place of the apricot brandy.

White Crème De Cacao: This is a liqueur made with white chocolate, vanilla, sugar, and alcohol. We used DeKuyper Crème De Cacao White because it has a delightful white chocolate flavor and is affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium White Chocolate Syrup in place of the white chocolate liqueur.

Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid juice of a pineapple. We used fresh pineapple juice.

Pistachio Syrup: This is a sweetener made with pistachios, sugar, and water. We used Monin Premium Pistachio Syrup.

Half & Half: This is a dairy product made with equal parts milk and cream. We used Prairie Farm Half & Half.

Coconut Matcha Green Tea Powder Mix: This is a sweetener made with cream of coconut and matcha green tea powder.

Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte because it’s flavorful and made locally to us. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.

Mint Sprig: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint.

Grated Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seed of a nutmeg tree. We used whole nutmeg from the bulk section at our local grocery store.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices for the garnish. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.

Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. We used the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer.

Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. We used the OXO Good Grips Grater.

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Tasting Notes

The John The Baptist teases with the aromas of nutmeg, mint, and coconut and leads with a predominantly sweet, nutty, and malty flavor profile with notes of coconut, matcha, and pineapple on the finish.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While this adventure of a tiki drink is tasty enough that anyone will enjoy it, making it is not exactly for the faint of heart. That said, we would highly recommend tracking down its ingredients because the finished product is well worth it. We both agreed that is was incredibly delicious!

Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Let’s admit, making a pistachio syrup at home is a pain in the ass, and at first glance, so is making this cocktail. Like many tiki drinks, it has a little bit of this and a little bit of that, much like a witch’s potion, but somehow by the grace of the R&D gods it works out. This one was absolutely delicious, and although it is a lot of work to concoct, it certainly does hit the spot on a cold wintry day and a hot summery one alike.”

Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I don’t usually care all that much for the flavor of nuts in anything, but wow, does the flavor in the syrup really make this recipe incredibly unique. It’s meant to be made with a pistachio syrup, but we didn’t have that on hand on the day of our tasting so we used macadamia nut instead. I honestly loved both that version and the reshake with pistachio syrup we tried a few days later. Although certainly a bit of work to make, the coconut, matcha, and nut flavors all mix together beautifully. If you’re looking for something with the air of tiki but out of the box, this is a great pick.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.