Recipe

• 2oz gold aged rum – I went with a very vanilla-forward rum: Kirk and Sweeney 18. If you are using a different one, consider adding in a drop or two of vanilla extract or vanilla syrup
• .25oz pimento dram – I used St. Elizabeth Allspice dram for the potent allspice flavor to cover for the spices. Allspice is a berry that magically captures many of the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc…
• .5oz Amaro Averna – this amaro is regarded for its cola, orange, and vanilla flavors, making it a no-brainer to include in my ‘Coke’ mix
• .25oz Amaro Meletti – the delicious Meletti captures fragrant notes of orange and cinnamon to bring some brightness to the mix
• 2oz soda water – for the classic fizzzz

Combine all the ingredients in a glass filled with crushed ice. Stir to combine, and serve with a lime wedge or wheel. Spritz to your liking.

About

Rum & Coke. It’s one of the most simple mixed drinks, and probably one of the first drinks many people (including myself) knew of to order at a bar or to stock for a party to entertain friends. Too simple, in fact, that it often becomes ignored after one learns a bit more about cocktail options, and soon the preferred cocktails fall into the likes of the ‘fancier’ Old Fashioneds, Moscow Mules, and Negronis.

Well, Coca Cola originally started out as a medicine and was not composed primarily of high fructose corn syrup. The recipe is secret and highly guarded, but various research and experimental investigations suggest that the recipe contains ingredients like citrus oil (including lemon, lime, and bitter orange), vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and coriander. Well, that sounds pretty close to some cocktail and liqueur ingredients to me! As part of #CocktailRedux, a fun initiative to showcase modern takes on the classics, I decided to recreate this drink, subbing in bittersweet Italian amari and spice liqueurs in place of modern Coke – who knows, it might even be closer to the flavors of the original medicinal Coca Cola. 😉