Port Antonio, Jamaica – In Jamaica Rum Punch is a staple cocktail. Generally, any self-respecting Jamaican bartender knows how to make Rum Punch. The traditional recipe is one part sour, two parts sweet, three parts strong and four parts weak. Traditional ingredients include white rum, strawberry syrup and lime juice, however, nowadays the ingredients used are a matter of preference and can include things like fresh fruit juices or soda.
My husband Eddie has been making his big batch Rum Punch recipe at Christmastime for years. He pours it into empty rum bottles and shares it with family and friends over the holidays. While we were at Goblin Hill Villas we met Calvin Wellington, the bartender at the resort’s Tree Bar. His Rum Punch is served at the manager’s reception every Saturday along with freshly baked Coconut Chips.
Tree Bar is a shady bar wrapped around a huge ficus tree near the reception area at Goblin Hill. It’s also where Calvin makes his cocktails and he was happy to share his Rum Punch recipe with us.
Goblin Hill Rum Punch
2 Pimento Leaves
1 small sprig fresh Rosemary
½-oz White Overproof Jamaican Rum
1-oz Dark Jamaican Rum
3-oz Ting (grapefruit flavour soda)
1 drop Angostura Bitters
1 tsp Strawberry Syrup
1 Maraschino Cherry
Instructions
1. Lightly crush pimento leaves and rosemary with fingers and put in shaker
2. Add remaining ingredients to shaker with 1 cup of ice
3. Shake ingredients and, using a strainer, pour rum punch into a glass
4. Garnish with a cherry and serve
In the video below Calvin shows us how easy it is to make his Rum Punch cocktail. The video runs about 3 minutes and was shot on location at Goblin Hill Villas on the northeast coast of Jamaica. Make sure to watch to the end to see me and Angela taste test his cocktail!
