Pilot Boat

It is summer, at least according to the calendar. But in Virginia it doesn't feel very warm. Good thing there's rum.

This drink is named after the pilot boat that meets up with cruise ships. The pilot boat captain takes the cruise ship's wheel and brings the ship to the harbor safely.

The Pilot Boat is a tart drink that is mostly lime juice. Dark rum, in this case Pampero Aniversario blend from Venezuela. This is a rich but not overly sugary dark rum that gets its color and vanilla flavor from barrel aging. Mixed with Cruzan banana rum--which tastes like banana Runts candy--and you have a tart drink with a mellow center.

I'm sure it would have been sweeter if I used creme de bananes, but I don't use it. Instead I added 1/2 oz. simple syrup to sweeten the drink a little. 

• 2 oz. dark rum (Pampero Aniversario used)
• 1 oz. creme de bananes (Cruzan banana rum and 1/2 oz. simple syrup)
• 2 oz. lime juice.

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.