Featured Recipe: Twenty Seventy Swizzle

Twenty Seventy Swizzle - 

The Twenty Seventy Swizzle is the creation of Martin Cate, an incredibly knowledgeable rum expert and owner of the Smuggler’s Cove tiki bar in San Francisco.  In our search for perfected tiki cocktails, many of our favorite recipes trace back to Martin Cate, so don’t be surprised if a few of his other creations make their way onto this blog.  If you are interested his book Smuggler’s Cove (covering the history of tiki, recipes, how-to guides, and ample facts about rum), you can find it on Amazon here.

Below you will find the steps for making this drink at home and all necessary ingredients.  Cheers!

Cocktail History:

​According to Martin Cate’s Smuggler's Cove, the Twenty Seventy Swizzle was created one night when Cate and his pal Ron Roumas attempted to make the ultimate swizzle based on several classic recipes. 

After creating multiple versions, they settled on a final recipe which incorporated the best elements from all swizzle recipes.  The drink was subsequently (and cleverly) named for the two rums used: Angostura 1919 and Lemon Hart 151

Recipe/ Instructions

Glassware:  Tiki Mug (tall) or Collins/Zombie Glass

Ingredients:

• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• ½ oz Demerara Syrup (see below for Demerara syrup recipe)
• ½ oz honey syrup (see below for honey syrup recipe)
• ¼ oz pimento/allspice dram (we used St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram)
• 1 oz column still aged rum (we used Flor de Caña 12yr, but Angostura 1919 or Bacardi 8 work)
• 1 oz black blended overproof rum (we used Plantation O.F.T.D, but Lemon Hart 151 or Hamilton Guyana 151 work)
• 1 dash of Herbstura bitters (equal parts Herbsaint and Angostura bitters)

Demerara syrup recipe (if needed):

1. 2 cups water, 1 cup Demerara sugar, 3 cups granulated sugar
2. Bring water to boil in a saucepan over high heat.
3. Add Demerara sugar and stir with whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute)
4. Add granulated sugar and stir with whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute)
5. Remove from heat and let cool – store in a sealed contain in the refrigerator for up to several weeks

Honey syrup recipe (if needed):

1. Use equal parts honey and water (i.e. 1 cup honey to 1 cup water)
2. Heat the honey in a saucepan over medium heat until runny/watery, just before boiling point (roughly 2-3 minutes)
3. Add the water to the honey and whisk mixture together
4. Remove from heat and let cool – store in a sealed contain in the refrigerator for up to several weeks

 
Cocktail Steps:
Combine all ingredients in a Collins/zombie glass (or tall tiki mug).  Add crushed ice until the glass is three-quarters full.  Use a bar spoon to swizzle.  Top off with additional crushed ice until the glass is full.

Garnish:
Add freshly grated nutmeg and a tall sprig of mint.
 
Wayward Spirits Rating:
Overall Score - 5 – As a big fan the Queen’s Park Swizzle, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this drink comparatively.  The addition of overproof rum and honey syrup creates a savory flavor, while Herbsaint and allspice gives it a rich, herbal finish that the drink unknowingly needed.

The Seventy Twenty Swizzle has officially pushed the Queen’s Park to the back of our bar book and will be an enjoyable addition to our summer cocktail list for years to come.  

Happy drinking!  Share your thoughts about this drink in the comments, or let us know if you have your own recipe for a killer swizzle - Cheers!