Name: Elusive Dreams
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Pineapple rum; 30 ml Light white rum; 30 ml Pineapple juice; 22.5 ml Lime juice; 15 ml Cinnamon syrup; 15 ml Banana liqueur

Elusive Dreams
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Glass:

Photographed in an Urban Bar Freddo Coupe Glass

Ingredients:
1 fl oz	Pineapple rum
1 fl oz	Light white rum (charcoal-filtered 1-4 years old)
1 fl oz	Pineapple juice
³⁄₄ fl oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
¹⁄₂ fl oz	Monin Cinnamon Syrup
¹⁄₂ fl oz	Giffard Banane du Brésil liqueur

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

Prepare:

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
Prepare garnish of pineapple wedge.

How to make:

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish:

Garnish with pineapple wedge on rim.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A riff on the classic Hotel Nacional Special cocktail with rum-laced, sweet 'n' sour, tropical fruit and delicate cinnamon spice.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2021 by Demi Natoli at Patterson House in Nashville, USA.

More cocktails by Demi Natoli

Nutrition:

One serving of Elusive Dreams contains 227 calories

Alcohol content:

1.6 standard drinks
14.32% alc./vol. (28.64° proof)
21.9 grams of pure alcohol

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Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 comments for Elusive Dreams.
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Nik Shenton

13th June at 07:17

Tweaked this lovely drink having tasted the original.

60ml Pineapple, banana and cinnamon infused white rum
30ml Pineapple juice
22ml Freshly squeezed lime juice
15ml Cinnamon 1:1 Syrup
15ml Banane du Brésil liqueur
1 egg white

Infusion: Add fresh pineapple chunks, sliced ½ banana and 2x cinnamon sticks into an ISI charger with the white rum. Charge with 2x cartridges. Leave for 1-hr. Release and sieve.

James Kittock

31st May at 16:00

Made using ingredients listed, except cinnamon syrup was homemade (but similar brix to Mojin).

Very tasty, with Naked Ape vibes. A bit too sweet. I added a few drops of Ms. Betters Pineapple and Star Anise bitters which helped. But when if I make this again I would dial the cinnamon syrup down to 1/4 oz, or acid adjust the pineapple juice, or add a float of overproof.

Loz Horner

25th January at 18:06

Didn’t have pineapple rum so used some pineapple vodka along with the light white rum, and cinnamon liqueur vs the Monnin syrup but it was very nice indeed. Slightly sour and fruity, banana there but not too forward. Went down a treat.

Simon Sedgley

16th September 2025 at 14:10

Very sumptuous. But, and maybe this gets filed under 'silly question', how does one squeeze all of this into a Coupe glass? We served it straight up in a Rocks glass, where it nestled snugly.

Simon Difford

16th September 2025 at 14:42

Ingredients total 142.5ml + dilution = approx. 180ml and photographed in a Freddo Coupe with a capacity of 196ml to brim. However, to scale back recipe =
20 ml Pineapple rum
20 ml Light white rum
20 ml Pineapple juice
15 ml Lime juice
10 ml Cinnamon syrup
10 ml Banana liqueur
----
95 ml = perfect size for a Retro Coupette Glass

1 reply

Caspian Berggren

22nd August 2025 at 23:48

If you've ever had The Naked Ape from Smuggler's Cove then this is a juicy, pineapple version of it. I just adore the combination of cinnamon syrup and banana liqueur so I knew from the start this would be something I'd like. I'm honestly surprised, though, at how much I'd like it. The pineapple works great with cinnamon banana, and the lime ties everything together. The only slight I have against is that it could use a few dashes of Ango.

Ruth Harvey

26th April 2025 at 20:34

I didn't have pineapple rum so used coconut rum (Kalani) instead which gave it a Pina Colada vibe. Very nice.

Henry Tran

13th April 2025 at 14:51

I also tried the original recipe with 22.5 ml cinnamon syrup. Liked it since my palette is on sweet side.

Ben S

29th April 2024 at 00:59

A definite improvement for me over the classic Hotel Nacional Special - the added depth of the cinnamon syrup and banana liqueur elevates the drink.

Brian H

23rd October 2023 at 01:50

Very nice with probitas rum. I think it would be best with a pineapple gomme syrup, which would enhance the mouthfeel obtained from the pineapple.

Peter Hodge

9th July 2023 at 16:40

Ooh, that’s a lot of flavours! Pineapple overtones with lingering banana and cinnamon flavours. Sweet but really enjoyable.

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