Sloppy Rudy's Cocktail

So there's pineapple juice, grenadine, and it's served up--where's the light rum? Nope, this is an all grape spirits drink. Port and brandy totally change the character of this drink, which uses the pineapple juice to create that lovely foam and grenadine to maintain the brilliant color of port beneath.

This is also a potent colonial style cocktail, in flavor and in ingredients. It has the taste of so many "Royal" drinks that invoked the king's territories from which the spirits and pineapple juice could be obtained. The finish was interesting, too. Nutty port and unfiltered brandy heat rose up in the back palette like some scotches are known to do. I can't tell you how pleasing this drink is, despite the name and the list of ingredients below.

• 2 oz. brandy (Catoctin Creek 1757 Reserve used)
• 1 1/2 oz. ruby port
• 1/2 tsp. grenadine 
• 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp. triple sec

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.