Palmetto Cocktail

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                                      Palmetto Cocktail

Truth be told, when I first heard about this cocktail I thought it was simply a fancy name for a Rum Manhattan.   We in the cocktail making business like to trick you into thinking you are drinking something unique and original by renaming it…...but often that is not the case.  So, I decided to do a little research. Turns out that depending on which publication you are looking at, there are quite a few different recipes as well as proportions for the Palmetto.   Either way, you end up with a really delicious drink, and a fantastic way to showcase different rums.  

The Palmetto was written about in Harry Craddock’s 1930 “Savoy Cocktail Book”, and called for equal parts of St Croix rum and Italian sweet vermouth, with 2 dashes of orange bitters.   Manhattan-esque for sure, although traditionally a Manhattan would be made with Angostura bitters as opposed to the orange bitters. What I love about this cocktail is its simplicity……...If I could only teach this new generation of bartenders that sometimes the simplest drinks are the best!!   The beauty of a recipe like this is that by changing the type of rum, or the type of vermouth, you can literally have totally different outcomes. 

First let’s talk about all the different rums you could use.   As you, the reader knows, rum is a vast category and one to the next tastes completely unique.   The original recipe called for “St Croix” rum, but think about how a Jamaican rum, or a Cuban rum, would work. I definitely think an aged rum is the way to go here-- a silver rum would be too light on the palate-- but as to how aged and dark you decide on is totally up to you.  The Palmetto is a classic cocktail that allows the flavor of the rum to shine through, so choose one that you love.   

The vermouth is the next factor, because all sweet vermouths on the market have their own

specific flavor profile.   Some of my favorites are Noilly Pratt, Dolin, Carpano Antica, and Miro. Each unique and individual, and each will work differently with certain rums.  

And finally…. the bitters.   These days you can go to a specialty liquor store and find dozens of flavors of bitters, with dozens of different labels.    I am a big fan of Regan’s orange bitters, but I also really like Angostura orange. If you haven’t had the opportunity, I encourage you to taste them side by side.  Just because they both say orange doesn’t mean they taste the same!! I find that Angostura has a bit more sweetness than Regan’s, but I love them both. You can also find orange bitters made by Fee Brother’s, Scrappy’s, and Bittermans.   All delicious and all different. 

So, what is my favorite Palmetto recipe?   I made quite a few variations (I promise this is all for research and development purposes!) and this is my favorite combination:

                                   1.5 oz. Appleton Estate 12 Year Rum

                                   1.5 oz. Dolin Rouge Vermouth 

                                   3 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters

Stir well with ice, strain into a coupe glass.   Zest an orange peel over the top and drop in. Enjoy!!!

Cris