Lion’s Tail Cocktail

The holiday season is a wonderful time for drinks made with Allspice Dram. This somewhat unknown cordial is also known as Pimento Dram (allspice is the berry of the pimento tree). Made from a base of rum infused with allspice berries, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper it brings warm notes of bakery spices to your favorite cocktails. Allspice Dram is an essential ingredient to the cocktails of the Tiki drink culture and will lift up any drinks made with citrus fruits. When the weather gets cold and we put away our tropical drink list, Allspice Dram lends spicy flavors to fall and winter drinks made with dark spirits. St. Elizabeth is our go-to brand of Allspice Dram but if you cannot find it, we have included a recipe for a DYI version that works quite well. Today we offer you the Lion’s Tail Cocktail made with Allspice Dram. The drink comes from the Cafè Royal Cocktail Book, first published in London in 1937. All but forgotten, this drink beautifully showcases Bourbon embellished with Allspice Dram.

Lion’s Tail Cocktail

In a Shaker Glass Filled with Ice Add:

•  2 ounces of Well-Bred Bourbon (we like Woodford Reserve)
• ½ Ounce of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
• ½ Ounce Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• ¼ Ounce of Simple Syrup (1:1)
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Shake and Strain into a Martini Saucer.  Garnish with a Lime Wedge.

Allspice Dram Recipe

In a Quart Mason Jar add:

• 1 Cup 151 Rum
• 1/8 cup Allspice Berries (crushed to break outer shell in Mortar and Pestle)
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks Broken into Pieces
• 3 Whole Cloves
• 6 Whole Black Peppercorns
• 1 Small Pinch of Fresh Grated Nutmeg (a little goes a long way)

Seal jar for one week, shaking daily to combine ingredients.  

After one week strain ingredients through a fine sieve into another quart mason jar.  In a saucepan add ¼ cup light brown sugar and ¾  cup water.  Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve sugar, making a brown sugar simple syrup. Let cool.  Add the cooled brown sugar simple syrup to the mason jar.  Then Add 1 ½ Cups Good Quality Barbados Gold Rum (we like Plantation 5 year).

 Stir and seal for an additional week.  Strain one more time if needed to remove any small particulates.  Your Dram will Keep Indefinitely if it Lasts that Long!