I get sent a lot of recipes from media and spirits companies who either want me to publish them here on my website, or just to peak my interest in a particular product. Recently a few recipes which have come my way require a specific liqueur (Allspice Dram) which is (as near as I can tell) almost impossible to find in my locale. One recipe in particular which was sent to me several months ago (the Appleton Maroon Swizzle) looked so good that I went on a mission to find Allspice Dram just so I could make one.
It turns out Allspice Dram is a liqueur made with lots of Allspice and a little Cinnamon. It seems to be a spirit which would be right up my alley as it is highly recommended as a complement to aged and dark rums in tiki style cocktails.
Although my research had indicated to me what Allspice Dram was, I still couldn’t find it in any stores. So I thought to myself, maybe I can make some at home. Luckily for me, there are many recipes online (if you look for them), and after reading them over I sort of melded the information together and came up with my formulation. I am not sure how close this is to the real thing; but I do know that when I finished my version of Allspice Dram, it seemed to work very well in my cocktail, the Appleton Maroon Swizzle.
Here is how I made my Allspice Dram.
Allspice Dram
1 1/2 Cups Old Sam Demerara Rum
1/4 Cup Crushed Dry Allspice Berries
1 Large Cinnamon Stick
1 Vanilla Bean
1 1/3 Cup Water
2/3 Cup Demerara Brown Sugar
Crush Dry Allspice Berries into large pieces
Add Old Sam Demerara Rum and the crushed berries into a large canning jar
Seal the jar tightly and shake to mix thoroughly
Allow the mixture to sit for about 1 week
Break the Cinnamon Stick into 3 pieces and add it to the steeped mixture
Add one Vanilla Bean as well
Seal the jar after mixing thoroughly
Allow the mixture to sit for 1 more week
After the second week strain the mixture though a fine sieve to remove the large pieces of spice
Strain one more time through a fine filter (a coffee filter should work)
Bring the water to a boil and add the Demerara Sugar to make a weak Demerara Syrup
Add the Demerara Syrup to the strained allspice and cinnamon infusion
Allow the mixture to sit for one more week.
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Of course now that I had made my key cocktail ingredient, it was time to make the Appleton Maroon Swizzle.
Here is the recipe:
Appleton Maroon Swizzle
1 1/2 oz Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX Jamaican Rum
1/2 oz Demerara Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Ice
Long Strip of Naval Orange Peel and
Mint Sprig for garnish
Rub orange peel along rim of a rocks glass and then squeeze some zest into the glass
Add the four ingredients with crushed ice into the glass and swizzle with a swizzle stick
Add more ice to the top
Garnish with a long orange peel down the side of the glass and a mint sprig
Enjoy Responsibly!
Note: If you are interested in more cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!
That was a lot of work for the sake of one cocktail, then again I have a nice bottle of home-made Allspice Dram which I can use for many more.
Chimo!
The holiday recipe I am sharing today features Smirnoff Peppermint Twist which was described to me as a deliciously cool flavoured vodka which features the taste of sweet candied peppermint. Peppermint Twist can apparently be served as a chilled shot or mixed into holiday-themed cocktails. I was sent quite a few recipes for Peppermint Twist and one of those which caught my eye was an indulgence called Holiday Bliss.
Don Julio is a 100% Blue Weber Agave Tequila made from agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco. The company was established by Don Julio González, who apparently began to examine the prospect of making his own Tequila in 1942. Don Julio Añejo is produced in small batches, aged in American white-oak barrels for eighteen months.
Smirnoff Peppermint Twist is a limited seasonal offering from Smirnoff Co. bottled at 30% alcohol by volume. It features a ‘scratch and sniff’ bottle allowing you to enjoy the seasonal scent of peppermint and candy cane before you even open the bottle. You may read my full review of this flavoured vodka here:
Although it will be Autumn until December 21, the truth is that up here in Canada, the first winter snowfalls arrived in mid-October and the cold weather settled in early in November. This means that it is time to switch up my Cocktail Bazaar with servings that reflect the coming of the cooler Christmas Season. And as this much cooler weather arrives, it is not unusual for me to sip on a nice cup of hot chocolate in the evening.
When I mixed a small batch for myself, I found the serving quite tasty, although perhaps it goes down just a little too easily. Make sure when you share this recipe with your friends that advise them to enjoy responsibly and choose a designated driver ahead of time for the ride home.
The Rum Howler Blog 