Rating
Weird.
Sights: Well, it’s not ugly. The Night Monkey has a lovely, orangish-pink hue and the bean sprinkle adds a nice touch. Also, Rickey guesses the chunky 90’s martini glass is making a comeback?
Smells: Mostly just coffee.
Tastes: Minus the hateful evil that is cilantro, Rickey’s a fan of all the ingredients in this cocktail. Yet, taken together, they don’t really seem to work all that well. The tart/sweet notes from the guava and lime create a vortex of weirdness in combo with the coffee. Like, would you ever put fruit juice IN YOUR COFFEE? Probs not.
That said, It’s not unheard of to mix these ingredients in a cocktail in a way that tastes good. But when it does work it seems that the coffee plays more of a supporting role. In the Night Monkey, the coffee dominates and it’s just strange. Oh, but the cilantro was not detectable, which was a relief for Rickey.
Feels: Kinda heavy from the puree with an odd crunch from the coffee beans.
Rick’s Tricks: Obviously cilantro is a divisive ingredient since it tastes like soapy ass to some. It’s probably not an option to leave it off here. However, do not despair… the “hint of cilantro” did not offend Rickey’s delicate sensibilities at all. Which is more than he can say for the rest of this oddball flavor bomb.
Overall: While complex and interesting, the Night Monkey also befuddles. It’s not very well balanced and ends up just tasting like coffee with booze and fruit juice added. Honestly, Rickey feels a bit sicky when he thinks back on it… So we guess that’s not the most shining endorsement.
More Info:
Location: Nomad Lounge, Discovery Island, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Ingredients: Plantation Original Dark Rum, Guava Purée, Coffee Simple Syrup, and Lime Juice with a hint of Cilantro
Cost: $14
Are you a fan of this cocktail? Let Rickey know what you think in the comments!