Inside The Oyster — The Passion Pearl

If you want more passion in your cocktail life (who doesn’t?), this clear liquor based drink is for you.   Adapted from a recipe I found on cocktails.com, the highlight of the drink is POG vodka from Island 808 in Hawaii.  I’m a big believer in trying the local booze when I travel, and I have had the pleasure of drinking Island 808 vodka on trips to Hawaii.

The Passion Pearl

1.5 ounces Island 808 POG vodka
1.5 ounces light rum
.5 ounces Cointreau
Juice from 1/4 of a lemon
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine in a shaker with ice, shake like you’re cutting through the waves on the North Shore of Oahu, and strain into a chilled glass.

Two questions probably popped into your mind — (1) why the number 808? (2) what the hell is POG?  808 is the area code for Hawaii.  POG is an acronym for pineapple-orange-guava.  POG juice is pretty common in Hawaii, and it’s quite tasty.

Island 808’s POG vodka is only 60 proof (most vodkas are 70-80 proof), which makes this a dangerously drinkable cocktail.  If you can’t get POG vodka, you probably can use a pineapple flavored vodka, or straight vodka and a small amount of fresh pineapple juice.

There seem to be a lot of places selling pearls in Hawaii, so it is fitting to use a Hawaiian vodka in this cocktail.  Even if the title of this post is a double entendre.