Post #795525 by Hamo on Tue, Jun 4, 2019 9:46 PM

Bump, because we need to talk about this in a little more depth.

I first discovered the Queen's Park Swizzle through this episode of Robert Hess' video series The Cocktail Spirit. Here he uses Bacardi 8, which I've never tried; I usually go with a Demerara (El Dorado 5 or 8 ). The recipe is similar but not exactly the same over on his Drinkboy site.

In both places, Robert quotes Trader Vic's pronouncement that this drink is "the most delightful form of anesthesia," and we find the recipe in Rum Cookery & Drinkery. But to complicate matters, Vic's formulation makes no mention of muddling mint leaves. And a internet search suggests there's no consensus regarding the inclusion of mint beyond garnish (let alone type or blend of rums, nor the number of dashes of bitters).

I personally like the dimension that muddled mint adds to the drink, and while I usually choose 3 ounces of one Demerara rum and a dash of Angostura, I just enjoyed 1 ounce each of a 80 and 151 proof Demeraras and 2 dashes of bitters. Next time I'll consider Vic's blend of light Puerto Rican, dark Jamaican, and 151 Demerara (which I think explains why he called it "anesthesia").

Do you have a go-to recipe or rum(s) for the Queen's Park Swizzle, or are you more flexible than I usually am?