Test Pilot

The Test Pilot is one of the many Tiki cocktail classics created by Donn Beach, likely sometime in the early 1940's.

Like so many Tiki cocktail, the Test Pilot calls for multiple types of rum. However, unlike many Tiki cocktails, the Test pilot is a lot less heavy on fruit juices as it only has a bit of lemon juice in it. It has Falernum as well, which gives a tropical feel, but it's less fruity than straight fruit juice. As Tiki cocktails go, this one is a lot more outlandish and over the top than many other ones, but if you want to add some crazy garnishes, you're more than welcome to!

But watch out, in pure Tiki tradition, the Test Pilot has plenty of booze in it. You certainly won't be flying a plane afterwards...

Total Time 3

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

22.5 mL White rum Puerto Rican rum is preferred
52.5 mL Dark rum Jamaican rum is preferred
7.5 mL Lemon juice
7.5 mL Falernum
7.5 mL Cointreau

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice in it.
Shake everything, ensuring it's cold and well mixed.
Strain into a rocks glass.
Garnish how you like and drink!

Notes

As mentioned in the recipe, Puerto Rican and Jamaican rums are suggested and what was used in the original recipe, but if you're just making cocktails at home for fun, any rum will do. Just make sure it's a nice rum! Since the test pilot is such a rum forward cocktail, you really want to make sure it shines!

And since you're using good rum, make sure your lemon juice is freshly squeezed. A good cocktail is all about good ingredients, so make sure you have them.

Finally, we've seen recipes for the Test Pilot that also contain a dash of Angostura Bitters and 6 drops of Pernod. However, the recipe that appears in Trader Vic's (not published until the 1970's though), does not call for these ingredients. It's up to you how you want to make this one.

Our Review of the Test Pilot

Before writing this review, I’ll admit I’ve never had a Test Pilot before, but I’m regretting not discovering this wonderful cocktail sooner!

As is common with Tiki cocktails, the Test Pilot recipe uses more than one kind of rum, in this case white rum and dark rum. For me, the exact types of rum used in a Tiki cocktail and their relative measurements are really what make it, and it really works in the Test Pilot. While you’re welcome to use any white rum or dark rum that you have on hand, try to use Puerto Rican rum for the white and Jamaican for the dark. It really makes a difference!

Other than the rum, the lemon juice, falernum, and Cointreau are used in fairly low quantities, which allow the wonderful rum to really come through. The extra ingredients are just there to help the rum be the best that it can be. But that’s not to say that the Test Pilot is overly rum forward, it’s actually surprisingly not rum forward. Sure, there are plenty of rum flavours to enjoy, but it’s not just drinking the spirit straight.

All of that is really what’s working for me in the Test Pilot. It has great rum tastes, and then just a little bit more. The falernum, of course, adds even more rum notes along with all the unique aspects that falernum always adds.

Sure, falernum isn’t always the most common ingredient to have, especially for novice home cocktail makers, but a cocktail like this really shows what a marvelous ingredient it really is. Honestly, I think the Test Pilot does better than the Zombie in this respect. I’m sure there will be a few out there who disagree with me, but this is my cocktail review and not yours.

Summing up, the Test Pilot is a great Tiki cocktail that is a good introduction to the genre because it doesn’t use too many different types of rum. If you can get yourself a bottle of falernum, it will expand your cocktail making horizons and be really worth while.

10/10

Review by Emily

Here Are More Great Cocktail Recipes to Try

Although the Test Pilot is a pretty boozy cocktail, you may be in the mood for something else after having it. We’ve got you covered. Check out these recipes.

Top rum cocktail recipes: our favourite cocktail recipes containing rum.

All rum cocktail recipes: browse through everything we have that has rum.

All Tiki cocktail recipes: or check out our selection of Tiki cocktail recipes.