In celebration of the fact we’re featuring the Caribbean in our portfolio we’ve been doing our research on local cocktails to ensure you don’t get a ‘rum’ deal...and here they are - hic!
Jamaica – Planters Punch
The grades and variations used to describe rum depend on the location where it was produced, and in Jamaica it’s all about dark rum. Usually made from caramelized sugar or molasses, this variation is generally aged longer, in heavily charred barrels, giving them much stronger flavours than either light or gold rums. Planters Punch is a classic cocktail that has been around since 1908, some say from the Planter's Hotel in St Louis, others that it was coined by a Jamaican planter's wife – whatever the history, it's a fantastic combination of lemon juice, grenadine syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters and of course the local dark liquor.
Bahamas – Bahama Mama
The Bahama Mama is a great tropical cocktail that features two potent rums: dark and 151 proof – so this is certainly not a drink for the faint hearted. The coffee and coconut liqueurs along with pineapple juice add that extra tropical touch. A perfect drink for summer that is very popular and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. If you travel to the islands you'll often find this served in a coconut for that added taste of paradise.
BVI – The Painkiller
If you can't be in the British Virgin Islands itself to enjoy a true painkiller drink, knowing how to mix it is the next best thing. This popular rum cocktail was created at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke Island in the British Virgin Islands by its British born owner Daphne Henderson. The original bar recipe says to shake 2 oz dark rum, 1 oz cream of coconut, 4 oz pineapple juice and 1 oz orange juice in a mixing glass before pouring into a glass with ice and sprinkling with freshly grated nutmeg to serve.
Enjoy!