Recipe
from Rumba bar in Seattle
- 1.5oz Batavia arrack van Oosten
- 1oz Cynar
- .5oz Giffard Pamplemousse/grapefruit liqueur
- Couple dashes of Bittermens ‘Elemakule Tiki bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice, and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.
About
Ok this cocktail has been a long time coming. One of my favorite bars ever is the amazing Rumba. Since discovering it a couple years back, it’s a must visit for me anytime I’m in Seattle. It was also the bar where I first tried the extremely interesting and funky spirit, Batavia arrack.
Batavia arrack is often regarded as the grandfather of modern-day rum and was traditionally used as the base of many classic punch recipes. Not to be confused with middle eastern Arak (anise/liquorice-y), Batavia arrack from the island of Java in Indonesia is made from sugarcane (similar to rum) with a small amount of fermented red rice. The resulting flavor is something that is deeply funky and unlike anything else. My taste buds were definitely confused the first time I tried it.
This was the cocktail I had the first time I experienced arrack, and I definitely fell in love. I didn’t have the recipe specs or complete ingredients when I created a variation of this drink with a while back. However, on a subsequent trip to Rumba, I asked for the specs and after finally getting my last missing ingredient (the incredible Pamplemousse liqueur – GO GET THIS!), I finally recreated it. Did not disappoint.