Back in the summer (ah, summer…where did you go?), I had a long lunch with a friend at Heaven’s Dog. It was my first time there and I had picked our luncheon spot specifically because of the great things I had heard about their cocktails. What did we eat? I don’t recall, except that there was pork belly involved. But the cocktails? Yes, things of beauty. After the food was consumed, we moved to the beautiful cypress wood bar and sampled a couple more of their wonderful drinks. At one point I ordered something on their menu called “Freedom from Choice”. Basically, you tell the bartender if you want a citrus-driven or spirituous cocktail and give him an idea of what liquor you might like. I said, “Citrus and rum.” What I got was a Rhum Agricole Punch. I loved it, and was told that it was on the menu at The Slanted Door (the two places are owned by Charles Phan). I asked what was in it and was graciously given the ingredients. It wasn’t until recently that I had the proper rum to make it with. I decided to mix one up and see if it was as good as I remembered. When I looked at the note in my trusty iPhone I realized that I had gotten the ingredients, but not the proportions. I tried to recreate it as well as I could, and I was very happy with the results. I hope you will be too. It’s one worth trying…
Heaven’s Dog Rhum Agricole Punch
- 2.5 oz La Favorite Rhum Agricole Ambre
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- .5 oz cane syrup
- .25 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
- Dash of Angostura bitters
- Nutmeg
Shake first 5 ingredients with ice and strain into a glass over crushed ice. Grate nutmeg over the drink and serve. Note: The proportions are my own, but the ingredients were given to me by the bartender. It tasted like I remembered, so I think it’s pretty close.
[…] that she likes her rye old fashioneds, hold the fruit. In honor of her tonight I made a round of Rhum Agricole Punches for my guests (big fans of her, by the way) and then capped it off with an obscure rye cocktail […]
Good job on the recipe. You were dead on except that we use 2oz of rhum instead of 2.5oz.
Wow, thanks! I am so excited that a real live bartender has visited my humble site (and one from Heaven’s Dog, no less)! I LOVE this drink and have been making them for my friends at home. I’m looking forward to another Heaven’s Dog visit soon. It’s been too long.
[…] based the following cocktail on my favorite Heaven’s Dog Agricole Rum Punch. I used Root instead of the Allspice Dram and increased the quantity. I added a homemade vanilla […]
[…] San Francisco, Heaven’s Dog makes a wonderful Agricole Punch using La Favorite (though they use the Ambre). And in Martinique, of course, the most typical […]
Are you into the Donga Punch? A variant on the DP that I make at home substitutes clementine juice for the grapefruit juice called for in Don’s Mix. I go 1:1 clementine juice to cinnamon-clove syrup. The clementine brings a slight sweetness and matches some of the notes in the cloves. If you try it, lemme know what you think.