Gardenia Grog

It’s worth a trip to Pittsburgh to visit Hidden Harbor, one of our favorite tiki bars in the United States, just to taste their expertly-made tropical libations. But if you can’t make it to the Steel City, learning to master the bar’s signature Gardenia Grog will get you pretty damn close to paradise. “I had been wanting to do a melon tiki cocktail for awhile, and one that uses very soft, complementary floral ingredients with just a backbone of spice and exotic rums,” head bartender Max Stein says. “It’s summery with all of those light flavors but still has exotic base notes from the Grog Mix and the Jamaican and agricole r(h)ums.” Stein plays with deeply aromatic flavors like rosewater, lavender and allspice dram in the Grog Mix, but they all come together in perfect harmony when mixed with the gin and cantaloupe. Garnished with an orchid and mint sprig, this drink is as gorgeous as it is deliciously potent.