Ingredients
Drink
- 60 mldark Jamaican rum
- 20 mlfresh lime juice
- 40 mlsugar syrup
- 80 mlcold water
- 3dashes Angostura bitters
Also
- crushed ice
Garnish
- freshly grated nutmeg
- a lime wheel
- a maraschino cherry
Optional
- a float of overproof rum
Directions
- Use a dark Jamaican rum with real character, because the drink is built around it. Squeeze the limes fresh, immediately before mixing.
- Make the sugar syrup by dissolving equal weights of sugar and water, or use a rich two-to-one syrup and halve the quantity.
- Combine the rum, lime, syrup, water and bitters in a shaker or a jug. It should be tart first and sweet second.
- Shake it briefly with ice, or simply stir it well. Fill a tall glass with crushed ice and strain the drink over.
- Top with a little more crushed ice so it mounds above the rim. Grate fresh nutmeg generously over the surface.
- Grate it fresh rather than using ready-ground, which has lost most of its aroma.
- Add a lime wheel and a cherry. Float a little overproof rum on top if you want, which is a common bar flourish. Serve immediately with a straw.
Technique
- Grenadine is added in many modern versions, which makes it sweeter and red.
- It can be made ahead as a jug and kept in the fridge, poured over fresh ice.
- The nutmeg is what distinguishes a Caribbean punch from a generic rum drink.
Substitutions
- Any dark aged rum, though Jamaican is the traditional one.
- Demerara sugar syrup, which is richer.
Variations
- With a dash of grenadine, which is the common modern version.
- Made by the jug for a crowd.
- With a float of overproof rum.
History
Tied to Jamaica’s Myers’s rum and to the old rhyme: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.
Frequently asked questions
What is Planter’s punch?
Planter’s punch is a cocktail from Jamaica: dark rum with lime, sugar, water and bitters over crushed ice. Tied to Jamaica’s Myers’s rum and to the old rhyme: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.
How long does Planter’s punch take to make?
Planter’s punch takes 5 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 1 drink. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Planter’s punch?
Yes, within limits. Any dark aged rum, though Jamaican is the traditional one. Demerara sugar syrup, which is richer.
What is the most important thing to get right in Planter’s punch?
Grate it fresh rather than using ready-ground, which has lost most of its aroma.
