The Rum Raspberry Cocktail
Not long ago, I was trading emails with someone from Flor de Caña about the company’s Nicaraguan rum. She sent me a recipe for what sounded like a delightful summer cocktail called the Flip Flop. Even more delightful, the recipe called for a Chamomile tea infusion. I agreed to give it a try and post my results here.
My contact promised to send a bottle of the Flor de Caña 4-Year-Old Gold rum that’s called for in the Flip Flop (the pleasures of being a cocktail writer). Wen I opened the box though, I found not Flor de Caña 4 year old, but the brand’s Grand Reserve, a 7-year-old medium-bodied rum. Not being one to waste a spirit I had not had the chance to try, I decided to turn my “lemons” into “lemonade”.
Now lots of rum cocktails, especially the refreshing summer variety, are made with light or gold rum. Darker rum often plays a supporting part, or is reserved for sipping. I personally love the stuff in cocktails. A good dark rum adds body and boldness to the drink’s flavor that I really enjoy. When short of lighter varieties, I’ve been known to substitute a dark rum in a daiquiri, with good results.
For this project though, the dark rum would be the star, and my idea was to keep with the theme of summer freshness and refreshment. As it happened, I’d just whipped up a batch of raspberry syrup, having taken it into my head to try the Belmont cocktail. And that’s how the Rum Raspberry was born.
Rum Raspberry
- 2 oz Flor de Caña Grand Reserve rum
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 3/4 oz raspberry syrup
Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Truth to tell, my cocktail turns out to resemble a sort of non-frozen raspberry daiquiri, The raspberry aroma and flavor is vibrant, and balances nicely with the Flor de Caña’s molasses and maple flavors.
The raspberry syrup, by the way, is incredibly simple. I found it on the Gourmet site, along with the Belmont. Bring a pint of raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes, stirring ocassionally. Let the syrup cool. Use a fine mesh strainer to separate liquid from solids. You’ll need to press the solids quite a bit, and your yield should be about 1/2 cup.
