Thursday 28 April 2011

Curiosity Cabinet #7 Pisang Ambon - Ice Mint

Curiosity Cabinet #7
Pisang Ambon Ice Mint

On a recent day-trip to the continent, among other goodies and joy-joys I came across Pisang Ambon Ice Mint, a cool-blue coloured liqueur.


Pisang Ambon Ice mint is the brother of the Original Pisang Ambon, a bright green banana-flavoured liqueur that features in a number of vintage cocktail books, so it's be around a while. It's currently produced by Lucas Bols.


1) Pisang Original A banana liqueur with a hint of citrus, it was invented over 60 years ago. The suggested serve is with Orange Juice or 7UP/Sprite; however, I seem to recall seeing a recommendation to mix it with milk somewhere; along with the tag line "don't drink it alone".


2) Pisang Guarana Lime - a purple mix of Lime and Guarana Berries; their own website describes it as having an "un-expected mysterious taste"

3) Pisang Ambon Ice Mint (what we are really here to talk about!)
The latest of the range and described as mint with a hint of vanilla. Suggested serves are with 7Up/Sprite (surprise surprise) or as a cooling shooter.

The Taste

On its own
 Pisang Ambon Guarana Lime (l) and Original (Banana)
It smells like vanilla mints or, for those of you in the UK, Murray Mints. There is also a strong menthol element. The initial flavour is extremely menthol, much more than your average crème de menthe, and you can feel it clearing you sinuses. There is a little creamy element at the end. The finish is of mouthwash. As a shooter, it's sweet, mentholated and with a touch of vanilla. It is fresh, in a way, and quite warming as it slips down your throat.

From the Freezer
You can't because it freezes.But you can drink the slush, which reminds me of Vick's VapoRub.

Ice Mint & Sprite
[50ml Pisang Ambon Ice Mint, 100ml Sprite]
Quite nice, quite fresh, citrus goes quite well but the mint is really, really, overpowering.

Ice Mint Collins
[10ml Vodka 20ml Pisang Ambon Ice Mint, 10ml lemon Juice, 60ml Soda Water]
Strong flavour of Murray Mints or Mint Humbugs, the lemon adds a fresh notes, an improvement on the Sprite.

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