angostura bitters

HBG’s Spiced Daiquiri

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Howdy y’all! As you’ve probably noticed from the photo, I didn’t make this drink at my Home Bar cause these days, I’m a busy lady! The beautiful backdrop for this drink is Duke’s Liquor Box in Greenpoint, Brooklyn where I work as “The Captain” several days a week.

Today I’m suuuuuuuper pumped to be talking about two totally delicious bottles from Ed Hamilton (aka the Minister of Rum) and how well they go together in this seasonally appropriate Daiquiri.

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Firstly, let’s talk Rum cause this IS a Daiquiri we’re making. Hamilton Navy Strength Rum, like the rest of Ed’s Rums is totally stellar. With a blend of Demerara Rum from Guyana and Jamaican Rum from Worthy Park, this 57% offering is a knockout. Huge nose and flavors offer both that fruity funk and a big deep body to support said funk. It’s epic, it’s my new fave Rum and it makes Smith & Cross seem anemic in comparison.

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As incredible as Hamilton Navy Strength is, Hamilton Pimento Dram is on a whole other level. It’s literally Jamaican Gold Rum from Worthy Park Estate + Pimento (aka Allspice) + Cane Sugar and it is the most complete thing I’ve ever tasted. I literally just want to drink it on the rocks all the time. Sublime, possibly perfect, it’s hard to say. Swooooooooon.

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Clearly these two are asking to go into a flavorful, funky, spiced drink together.

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Squeeze that lime gurrrrrrrrrl.

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HBG’s Spiced Daiquiri

  • 1 1/2 oz Hamilton Navy Strength Rum
  • 1/2 oz Hamilton Pimento Dram
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • A couple barspoons Granulated Cane Sugar or 1/4 oz Cane Sugar Syrup*
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Lime Wheel and/or Nutmeg

Combine ingredients in shaker over ice and shake it like a rocket! Double strain into punch cup and garnish.

*Ok, so my gurrrrl Shannon (the Rum Queen of NYC) is always making her Daiquiris with Granulated Sugar instead of syrup. I thought I’d give it a try and I kind of dug it. It gave a nice texture to the drink and by not adding extra water (in the way of syrup) makes this Daiquiri feel more intact. Also, don’t go too heavy on the sugar or syrup cause you want the drink to be on the dry side.

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Easy peasy and ohmygod soooooo delicious. This Spiced Daiquiri would be perfect for all yer holiday parties cause of the spice. Ask your local liquor store to carry Hamilton Rums if they don’t already have them, you won’t be disappointed!

Cheers!

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DP Swizzle

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Y’all, it’s JULY and hot and swampy as hell up in this piece. I know that Tiki doesn’t really have a season (Tiki The Snow Away, duh) but if there was ever a time for a tall, icy, Tropical Cocktail, that time is now!

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The inspiration for today’s Swizzle was this tasty bottle of brand-new-soon-to-be-released Berentzen Peach Liqueur. Berentzen were actually the first brand to send me products and I have loved them ever since cause QUALITY. All of their liqueurs are crisp, clean, bright, and come through very well in cocktails without being overly cloying.

The Peach is great! It’s Peachy with lemon and floral notes and not too intense or overwhelming. 20% ABV

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Cast of Characters:

  1. Peach Madness: Berentzen Peach + Bitter Truth Peach Bitters. Berentzen also sent me The Bitter Truth Peach Bitters and they’re really great too! Not too bitter, more like essence of peach. I decided to throw a couple of dashes in the drink to increase the “peachness”.
  2. Rum: I really wanted to make the sweet Peach flavor work with aged Rum, so I picked Denizen Merchant’s Reserve cause it’s dry, funky, grassy and just really lovely.
  3. Juices: I was debating between Lemon or Lime and asked some cocktail friends. One them replied, “Why not both?” Yeah dude, good call!
  4. Sugar & Spice: To give this Swizzle a lil pop I added, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Demerara Simple Syrup for body + depth, & Angostura Bitters on top.

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I have a couple of Rhum JM swizzle sticks, but they weren’t long enough for this big Tiki mug. I opted to use my copper-plated Skull Barspoon from Cocktail Kingdom instead and it swirls really nicely. Yarrrrrrr, matey!

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Big Mint sprig for big aromatics.

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Don’t you love this mug? I like how serious he looks but then his moustache is so long and his lips so small!

DP Swizzle

  • 2 1/2 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Year Rum/Rhum
  • 1 oz Berentzen Peach Liqueur
  • 1 barspoon St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
  • 1 1/2 oz Demerara Syrup 1:1
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3 dashes Bitter Truth Peach Bitters
  • 5-6 Mint leaves
  • Crushed ice
  • Garnish: Mint sprig, Angostura Bitters, colorful swizzle stick

How to make the DP Swizzle:

  1. In the bottom of a large Tiki mug, add Mint leaves, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Demerara Syrup, and muddle.
  2. Add Rum, Peach Liqueur, Peach Bitters, Allspice Dram, crushed ice and *swizzle with a long Swizzle stick or long Barspoon.
  3. “Paint” the top of the ice with a few dashes of Angostura bitters, add Mint sprig and colorful swizzle stick.

*To swizzle: place the stick/barspoon between your hands and rub them back and forth rapidly so the stick/barspoon swirls the ingredients of your drink together and causes some dilution.

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Swizzlin’. I’ll be swizzlin’ all day loooooong. Tiki Cheers to y’all!

Thanks to Berentzen for the tasty Peach Liqueur and bitters!

Beach Nut Punch

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Hey, y’all. Ever had one of those days where you wish you were at the beach by an actual jungle, and not stomping around the concrete jungle?

Me too.

My still-tanned girlfriend and I returned from Tulum, MX two weeks AGO (how the tiiiiiiime flies), but seriously y’all, I MISS IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

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Well, since I can’t be living that beach life all the time, I thought I’d shake off my landlocked sadness with a tasty tropical cocktail.

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For this particular recipe, I started with Apricot Liqueur and worked my way along. Apricot and almond flavors go really well together, so I grabbed the Orgeat syrup, and a Lime from my fridge. Then it was time to pick a Rum. Hmmm. Which Rum? An Aged Rum! I have a few Aged Rums in my home bar and decided to go with Angostura 7 Year, a molasses based Trinidadian Rum, because it has a bit of funk to it and a short finish. For the final ingredient, it seemed natural to add a couple of dashes of Angostura Bitters.

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Beach Nut Punch

  • 2 oz Angostura 7 Year Rum (sub: aged Jamaican Rum)
  • 1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherries

Combine ingredients over ice and rapidly shake. Double strain into coupe and garnish.

IMPORTANT: Though I’ve called this drink a “punch” (because it has Spirit, spice, water, citrus), it’s really a cocktail or a “Punch for One.” I just really liked the way the phrase Beach Nut Punch sounds.

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Cheers! May this tasty drink make you feel like you’ve escaped to the beach!

West India Docks

/ Dani DeLuna / 5 Comments

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As part of #IrishWhiskeyMonth, I wanted to repost one of my favorite Teeling Whiskey drinks from last year: West India Docks. This tropical sipper combines Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum and Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey in what I consider to be the best split base of all time.

If you wanna join the party, use the hashtag #IrishWhiskeyMonth on Instagram and I’ll repost your photo! The only rule is that you have to include Irish Whiskey in your cocktail.

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Are you a bartender/cocktailier/Home Bar Gurrrrl? Have you combined these two spirits? Nope? GET ON IT.

I split the base equally, sipped it, died and went to heaven and then made a truly terrific tropical drink. I really tried to keep it at 5 ingredients but this cocktail needed a bit of Angostura Bitters for honesty.

West India Docks

  • 1 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Grenadine
  • 4 Pineapple Chunks
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Two Pineapple Chunks

Combine Lime Juice, Grenadine and Pineapple chunks in tin and muddle. Add Teeling Whiskey, Smith & Cross Rum, Bitters and Ice. Shake and double strain into coupe. Garnish with two Pineapple Chunks.

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No lie, this is truly fantastic. If you’ve got Teeling + Smith & Cross, you need to try these two together. #TropicalTeeling