Planter's Punch
Jamaican rum, old rhythm.
Jamaican rum, lime and sugar cane juice, built straight in the glass and lengthened to taste. It is the heir of the nineteenth-century Caribbean punch: simple, mellow and scented by the rum's bold character.
- IBA · The Unforgettables
- Long drink
- Built
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Method
- Built
- Strength
- Medium
- Time
- 2 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Ice
- Cubes
Ingredients
Measures for 1 serving
-
Jamaican rum
45 ml
-
Lime juice
15 ml
-
Sugar cane juice
30 ml
-
Water (optional)
to taste
Garnish
- Orange twist
Proportions
How to make
- Add ice to a small tumbler.
- Pour the Jamaican rum.
- Add the lime juice.
- Add the sugar cane juice.
- Dilute to taste with water or fresh juice.
- Stir briefly.
- Garnish with orange zest.
The story
Origins
LegendA story passed down, not confirmed by the sources.
The Planter's Punch is tied to Jamaica, where punches of rum, lime, sugar and water had been common for centuries. The first known recipe under this name is a rhyme published in September 1878 by the London magazine Fun, which praises its Jamaican fame; rhyming versions reappear in the American press in 1903 and 1908. The drink is often credited to Fred L. Myers, founder of the rum brand, who printed the formula on his bottles, but the claim lacks period evidence. Its supposed birth at the Planters Hotel in Charleston is likewise unsupported. In the twentieth century the name came to mean almost any mix of rum and fruit juices.
Sources (6)
- IBA — Planters Punch (opens in a new tab) recipe
- IBA — All cocktails, page 4 (opens in a new tab) recipe
- Wikipedia — Planter's punch (opens in a new tab) history
- Charleston City Paper — The fruity rum drink known as Planter's Punch goes way back in time (opens in a new tab) history
- Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails — Planter's Punch (opens in a new tab) history
- Difford's Guide — Planter's Punch (opens in a new tab) history
Taste profile
- Sweet
- 3 out of 5
- Strong
- 3 out of 5
- Sour
- 2 out of 5
- Fruity
- 2 out of 5