It’s April, you old so-and-so! That means summer (or Mr. Sunny Suntimes, as it’s called by some) isn’t too far around the corner, what with its rum drinks and poolside parties and pirates. With that, I suggest you start practicing your summer drinks now, so you can be known as Drinkmaster HW (for hot weather) when it gets here. And here’s one to start practicing with, not a known drink worldwide yet (though known enough to carrying its own second moniker, “rum-daddy”), but a darn good one, featuring a hearty base (or spirit-kick, as they say) of Flor de Caña rum shimmying close with Brovo’s delightful Lucky (it already has a nickname in its name!) Falernum, Pierre Ferrand’s now classic orange curaçao, Scrappy’s dancing on the tongue Orleans bitters (did you know Scrappy was a nickname of a real person? It is!), and a touch of lemon and simple. The very latter I like, as it seemed to smooth the edges (or tan lines, if you will), but if it’s too sweet for your taste, drop it like a name you’re not fond of.
There are bad days, then there are good days, there are days a little mundane, and days like chocolate ice cream. Days like a wasp sting and days like really good cheddar cheese, slightly sharp. First days, third days, last days. And then there are days when you gain the nickname Lucky, because you received a bottle of Flor de Caña’s Añejo Oro rum in the mail, like I did recently.
Flor de Caña’s Añejo Oro gold rum is a rum aged four years, which has won a big handful of awards, including 2005’s Best in Class award at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, and which has a pretty amber coloring and – even more pretty – a flavor of caramel, cane, coconut, pepper, and all the island memories that you could want. It goes well with a big chunk of ice, or a big glass of soda, but also in cocktails with a few well-matched and well-balanced ingredients.
The balance is important, because you don’t need to overwhelm this rum when it’s used as a base, more accenting it around the edges, which is the direction I went, just bringing in a few supporting players. Starting with a local hit, Lucky Falernum. You might not think island-style would sprout outside of Seattle, but this Lucky’s crafted by broVo Spirits (a distillery that’s also in Woodinville, just outside of Seattle), and is a high-proof falernum bursting with spice and fruit addition. My next step was another island cuddler, Pierre Ferrand orange curaçao, a dry, citrus, legend.
A little simple syrup to round the edges and make everything cozy, and we almost reached the beach (or, to tie it back, earned the nickname). But I felt just a bit more, something was needed, and after trying this, and trying that, I went off the sand somewhat, while still keeping the sun shining, adding a few dashes of Scrappy’s Orleans bitters. Scrappy’s Orleans Bitters is a New Orleans style bitters as you might surmise. Another Seattle standout, Scrappy’s Orleans carries a spice (anise, cinnamon, citrus) and floral suitcase that proved ideal for our island vacation. Now, you just need to decide on that nickname.
