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Cocktail History
The Plum Swizzle is a Sips From Scripts original tiki cocktail that we created for Secret Santé, a Christmas cocktail challenge hosted by Served By Soberon. Our Secret Santé this year was Puiu Alexandru of @mixologypassionate, who we noticed takes pride in respecting the classics when making both custom recipes and reshakes. During our research for this recipe, we learned that the plum spirit Țuică is Romania’s most popular native creation. Since we couldn’t find it anywhere near us, we decided to combine a local plum wine with brandy in a classic tiki template for this drink.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Cognac: This is one of the base spirits. It’s a type of brandy made from distilled white wine in Cognac, France. We used Courvoisier VSOP Cognac because it has a rich mouthfeel and a delightful brandy spice with notes of peach, almond, and cinnamon. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Jamaican Rum: This is another base spirit. It balances out the uniqueness of the rum. We used Wray & Nephew Gold Jamaican because it’s high quality yet still affordable, full flavored while still being lighter than other rums, and lends exotic spice flavors to the finish of the drink. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Dark & Spicy Tropical Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the rum.
Overproof Rum: This is the third base spirit. It adds a distinct rum funkiness and more complex flavors. We used Wray & Nephew Overproof White Rum because it’s high-quality and lends unique vanilla, banana, coconut, and molasses flavors that pair well with the other ingredients in this recipe. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Dark & Spicy Tropical Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the rum.
Plum Wine: This adds all of the drink’s plum flavor and a bit more booziness. We used a plum wine from Door Peninsula Winery in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin because it’s delightfully fruity, affordable, and made locally to us. If you can’t find this brand of wine near you, you can use another plum wine as a substitute. For a mocktail version of this drink, try plum juice in place of the wine.
Orgeat Syrup: This is a sweet syrup made with almonds, sugar, and rose or orange flower water. It adds more sweetness to balance out the spirits and lends its unique nutty flavor often found in tiki drinks.
Crème De Violette: This is a purple floral liqueur. We used Rothman & Winter Crème De Violette Liqueur because theirs is made using a brandy base and no added vanilla or other fruit flavors, making it a true violet liqueur. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Non-Alcoholic Violet Syrup in place of the liqueur.
Orange Juice: This adds orange’s sweet flavor and tang. We prefer to use fresh orange juice in our cocktails instead of the bottled stuff.
Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors that balance out the other ingredients. Again, we prefer fresh lime juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes much better.
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and a neutral alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.
Mint: This one of the garnishes. It adds fragrant mint aromas to the drink as you sip.
Orange Twist: This is the other garnish. It adds a hint of citrus aroma.
Tasting Notes
The Plum Swizzle combines absinthe and mint aromas with a sweet orange-forward taste, which is accented by the rum’s spiciness and the brandy’s slight burn along with a bit of lime for balance. While held in the mouth, the plum comes forward, elevated by the floral liqueur, and lends its slightly bitter yet tart fruit taste going down.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Thanks to the plum wine, this drink definitely stands out among other tiki drinks! We hope you and our Secret Santé find it to be as delicious as we did.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
Add brandy, dark rum, overproof rum, plum wine, orange juice, lime juice, orgeat syrup, crème de violette, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice.
Spray with absinthe.
Garnish with mint sprig and orange twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Add brandy, dark rum, overproof rum, plum wine, orange juice, lime juice, orgeat syrup, crème de violette, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice.
Spray with absinthe.
Garnish with mint sprig and orange twist.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy, Caleño Dark & Spicy Tropical Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the rums, plum juice in place of the wine, Monin Non-Alcoholic Violet Syrup in place of the liqueur, and Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Tiki Cocktails
If you like this tiki cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Jamaican Mule: A rum cocktail made with ginger syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice, Angostura aromatic bitters, candied ginger, a lime slice, and an orchid blossom
Staycation: A rum and whiskey cocktail made with lemon juice, coconut cream, apricot liqueur, passion fruit syrup, a lemon slice, and mint
Greena Colada: A rum cocktail made with triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, velvet falernum liqueur, crème of coconut, mint, and a lime wheel
Nui Nui: A rum cocktail made with orange juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, vanilla syrup, St. Elizabeth’s allspice dram, Angostura aromatic bitters, an orange twist, and a cinnamon stick
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