Corn and Oil

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The name, Corn and Oil, certainly doesn’t sound appetizing, and I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want oil in my drink!! This classic Tiki cocktail, however, is delicious, and not one I often have the pleasure of making. Last week a guest at my bar ordered it from one of my fellow bartenders, and he came over to me and said “Oh my gosh this lady just ordered a drink with corn and oil in it, what do I do ??” Fortunately for the guest, I knew what was in it and didn’t run to the kitchen to get an ear of corn and some extra virgin olive oil.

The name Corn and Oil refers to the use of dark, Blackstrap rum, which has the look of crude oil. The history of this cocktail is murky (much like the look of the drink) but it likely originated in Barbados. Blackstrap rum often gets a bad rap...... it doesn’t have an official category in the world of rum or the TTB, and it’s black color certainly does not come from years of aging in a barrel. Even a rum aged for 40 years would not be black as oil. The idea behind it is to taste like molasses, but if you have ever had real molasses, which is thick and moderately sweet, Blackstrap rum is definitely not the same. Blackstrap rum (most commonly the brand Cruzan), is much sweeter, and yet has vegetal and herbal notes to it, combined with ginger, licorice, and molasses. There are many rum lovers out there that dislike Blackstrap rum but in certain cocktails I must admit I love it. (Sorry Chad). In Martin Cate’s book Smuggler’s Cove, the Corn and Oil recipe calls for blended, aged, Barbados rum.

Falernum is the second ingredient in the Corn and Oil cocktail, and one of my favorite bottles behind the bar. Falernum is a rum based liqueur, with flavors of clove, almond, lime, ginger, and allspice. It is common in many Tiki cocktails, and is versatile enough to be used with many spirits, including bourbon and gin. The most common brand is John D. Taylor, but I also really love the Falernum made by Maggie’s Farm in Pittsburgh.

So..... how do you make a Corn and Oil? If you google it, you will find many variation Ds on the recipe so I will give you mine. I encourage you to make it with Blackstrap rum, because the rich and robust flavor makes thisa delicious and complex tasting drink. However, if you must, you can also switch it out for a dark rum. As I always say, rum is such a vast category, it is hard to pick just one to use. You can set out 10 dark rums and they all have unique qualities and flavor profiles.

I have made this cocktail also with Myers, Angostura 7 and Gosling’s Blackseal which all work great and make for a wonderful cocktail.

Corn and Oil

2 oz. Cruzan Blackstrap Rum (or whichever dark rum you prefer)

1⁄2 oz. Maggie’s Farm Falernum

1⁄2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

Build all ingredients in a rocks glass, stir, and fill with ice. I prefer to use cracked ice rather than crushed. Some recipes will tell you to use crushed ice but it will dilute the ingredients very quickly. Top the cocktail with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and garnish with a twist of lime.

-----Article written by Cris Dehalvi, Muse of Mixology-----

My name is Cris Dehlavi and I  am a native of Arizona, but have lived in Columbus, Ohio for

the past 13 years with my daughter, Desi. I have been running the bar program at “M”, of the Cameron Mitchell restaurant group since 2005. I am currently the President of Columbus USBG as well as a consultant for bars and restaurants nationally.

In 2013, I attended the rigorous B.A.R. 5 day spirits Certification and have been recognized as one of the top mixologists in the U.S.A. I am one of the senior managers of the prestigious apprentice program at Tales of the Cocktail and work as a mentor to many bartenders around Ohio.

My contribution to Got Rum? magazine will include everything from reviews of national cocktail events, articles on mixology, garnish trends, recipes and techniques, to interviews with some of the leading bartenders in the industry.