Pearl Diver

A lost tiki classic, reimagined.

If you’re a fan of classic tiki cocktails, chances are you’ve heard of the Pearl Diver, one of the most iconic creations from Donn Beach, founder of the original Don the Beachcomber in 1930s Hollywood.

Built on a blend of rum, citrus, and warm island spice, the Pearl Diver became a legendary lost recipe for decades. Its signature ingredient, Don’s Gardenia Mix, is a rich blend of butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice that was eventually rediscovered by cocktail historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, helping revive this tiki classic for a new generation.

If you’ve got a little extra time this weekend, making a batch of homemade Gardenia Mix is well worth it. Keep it chilled in the fridge and use it to elevate your favorite rum cocktails with rich texture and tropical spice.

Author

The Elevated Craft Team

Category

Cocktails

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz. Puerto Rican Rum
• ½ oz. Jamaican Rum
• ¾ oz. Demerara Rum
• ¾ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 oz. Orange Juice
• ¾ oz. Don's Gardenia Mix (recipe below)
• ¼ oz. Velvet Falernum
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cubed
• 1 cup Orange Blossom Honey
• 1 oz. Cinnamon Syrup
• ½ oz. Allspice Dram Liqueur
• ½ oz. Vanilla Syrup

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until melted and smooth. Store in a mason jar or vessel with wide opening. The mix will become thick when refrigerated but can be reheated as needed. 
2. Combine all ingredients in a Hybrid Cocktail Shaker with ice.
3. Shake for 20 seconds and strain into a Hybrid Rocks Glass filled with pebbled or small sphere ice.
4. Garnish with a palm frond and/or edible flowers.