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Cocktail History
The Missionary’s Downfall is a classic tiki cocktail that was created in the 1930s by Don the Beachcomber at his bar in Hollywood, California. Several variations of the drink exist today, but the classic typically calls for white rum, lime, crème de pêche, honey, pineapple, and mint. This version by Scotty Schuder, owner of the tiki bar Dirty Dick in Paris, is similar but swaps out lime for lemon, uses less honey syrup, and adds more peach flavor to create an equally tasty tropical beverage.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Pineapple Rum: This is a type of rum made with pineapple, molasses or sugar cane juice, and alcohol. We used Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple Rum because it has a rich rum taste with notes of tropical fruits, citrus, and cloves. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit and homemade pineapple syrup in place of the pineapple rum.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Crème De Pêche: This is a liqueur made with heirloom peaches, spices, sugar, and alcohol. We used Giffard Crème De Pêche De Vigne because it has a fresh and pleasant stone fruit flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Peach Syrup in place of the peach liqueur.
Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s simple recipe.
Pineapple Cubes: This is a pineapple flesh that has been cut into a cube shape.
Mint Leaves: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint leaves.
Pineapple Wedge: This is pineapple flesh that has been cut into a wedge shape.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint.
Orchid Blossom: This is the flower of an orchid plant.
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.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.
Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple so the flesh can be cut. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.
Blender: This is used to blend up ingredients. We used the Cuisinart SPB-7CH SmartPowder Electronic Bar Blender.
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Tasting Notes
The Missionary’s Downfall features aromas of fresh pineapple and mint and has an ice-cold sip that features the bright sweetness of pineapple along with spirituous rum funk and cooling mint which, along with a bit of peach, chase each other down the throat.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Although the blended particles could potentially be off-putting to some, we both found this drink to have a totally delectable and crushable flavor. We do think we’ll resort to a different technique for incorporating the flavors into the Missionary’s Downfall next time though since mint and pineapple chunks don’t exactly get along well with straws.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This cocktail proved once again that I really love pineapple in tiki drinks. The sweetness of the fruit pairs so well with rum, and the mint was a refreshing addition. My only qualm with this recipe was how the bits of blended mint got stuck in my teeth. When we make this again (and I’m sure we will), I would swap out the blended pineapple for fresh pineapple juice and ask Alex to either blend up the mint a bit more or filter it out. I like a nice smooth sip so I can enjoy the flavors without the pesky chunks.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-07.
Missionary’s Downfall
The Missionary’s Downfall is a classic tiki cocktail that was created in the 1930s by Don the Beachcomber at his bar in Hollywood, California. Several variations of the drink exist today, but the classic typically calls for white rum, lime, crème de pêche, honey, pineapple, and mint. This version by Scotty Schuder, owner of the tiki bar Dirty Dick in Paris, is similar but swaps out lime for lemon, uses less honey syrup, and adds more peach flavor to create an equally tasty tropical beverage.
Ingredients
Method
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Add rum, lemon juice, crème de pêche, honey syrup, pineapple cubes, mint leaves, and cubed ice to a blender.
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Blend until desired texture.
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Pour into a snifter or tiki glass.
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Garnish with pineapple wedge, mint sprig, and orchid blossom.
