'The Rise of Hanuman,' Featuring Joe Soto of Aqua Vita

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In late 2024, BayTowne Wine & Spirits launched a collaborative series with top industry friends. We’re teaming up with bar staff from our favorite local spots to feature exclusive cocktails created by their skilled mixologists. Rochester is lucky to have such a high level of talent in its bar scene, and we’re thrilled to highlight it. Our first feature comes from Joe Soto, bar manager at Aqua Vitae, and is called The Rise of Hanuman.

The Rise of Hanuman is Joe Soto’s inspired answer to the call for a banana cocktail. Exceeding all expectations, as he is known to do, Joe crafted this engaging daiquiri-style cocktail for our ongoing bartender partner series. Hanuman is a Hindu deity with the body of a man and the face of a monkey, and he is known in Hindu mythology as the central figure of a heroic quest. Joe pulled from this mythology for a truly inventive name for his original banana beverage. Bananas and rum are not a new pairing, but the particular choice of rum and banana liqueur here is instrumental to the drink’s originality. Transcontinental Rum Line’s High Seas is an exciting new blend they released this past year, composed of 3 year Panamanian rum, unaged Grand Arome rum from Martinique, and unaged high ester rum from Jamaica. These components create a balance of mellow sweetness with some overripe fruit notes and even some savory, baked notes. Accordingly, Joe’s choice of Tempus Fugit’s Creme de Banane was an ideal pairing, as its banana characteristics are very ripe and reminiscent of lightly spiced banana bread. The pineapple juice rounds that sweetness out alongside the lime’s acidity and the Fee Brothers Cardamom bitters tie everything together beautifully with an emphasis on that warming baking spice. The Rise of Hanuman takes the banana and rum tag team and delivers a performance worthy of its epic name. 

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