Pimento Liqueur

I just had Chuck Taggart's from Imbibe, made by Chuck. Quite good.

Just between you, me, and the internet, it will soon be available again commercially in the US.

Can't say exactly when or tell you who's doing it, but it's coming.

In the meantime- keep making it!

GatorRob - should the homemade Pimento Dram be refrigerated, or would it be better to leave it out on the counter to age for that month?

On 2007-07-23 22:27, Koolau wrote:
GatorRob - should the homemade Pimento Dram be refrigerated, or would it be better to leave it out on the counter to age for that month?

I made a bottle months ago (a little of this goes a long way in a drink) and it's never been refrigerated and it's fine. It has what, a cup or so of 151 proof Demerara rum in it? That's enough alcohol to kill anything that might attempt to grow in it.

Martin, you tease! That IS good news. Hope to see it on the store shelves before long. But I've got to say, it's never going to sell to an American market with a name like Pimento Dram. If you said to a roomful of people "Who wants to taste some Pimento Dram?", you'd get a roomful of scrunched up noses and few takers I bet. I'm thinking Allspice Liqueur would have a much better chance of selling. Or how about "Christmas In A Bottle".

Bottle of the Wray and Nephew come up on Ebay regularly if anyone wants to taste compare.

On 2007-07-24 12:32, GatorRob wrote:
Martin, you tease! That IS good news. Hope to see it on the store shelves before long. But I've got to say, it's never going to sell to an American market with a name like Pimento Dram. If you said to a roomful of people "Who wants to taste some Pimento Dram?", you'd get a roomful of scrunched up noses and few takers I bet. I'm thinking Allspice Liqueur would have a much better chance of selling. Or how about "Christmas In A Bottle".

I said exactly that to the manufacturers- one agreed, and one did not. I think Allspice Liqueur is the way to go as well.

On 2007-07-25 09:39, martiki wrote:
I said exactly that to the manufacturers- one agreed, and one did not. I think Allspice Liqueur is the way to go as well.

Hope the manufacturers think it out a little more. When I was asking around for availability, people usually think pimento=the pepper used to stuff olives. The alternate name for the allspice isn't as widely known.

I personally like "English Pepper" as the nomenclature goes.

Consider that the Dram can also serve as a base for Wassail punch...

btw. very glad to join the discussion here.

11 days until my mix of the recipe from imbibe is a month old.

Even immature, the characteristics are fascinating.

I just got my Berry Hill from Reggae Treats- took about 3 weeks, Tasty stuff- Navy Grog, here I come!

On 2007-06-09 15:33, jamaican_vibes wrote:
I have 2 bottles of Berry Hill Pimento (Allspice) Liqueur available on my website http://www.reggaetreats.com

Well, I ordered a bottle less than three weeks ago, and wow, got it today. It is fantastic.

Now, I have to state this. Beachbum Berry has a recipe for a quick pimento dram on his website, and I regularly make an instant pimento syrup by grinding two small pimento berries in 1/4 oz of simple syrup and heating it for 15 seconds. While the Wray and Nephew is much smoother and quite drinkable right out of the bottle, once you get it into the drink, i.e. Nui Nui, the difference between the instant pimento dram and the W and N is less noticable. The biggest difference is the 50 dollars it cost me to have the bottle bought for and shipped to Palm Desert.

Am I glad I bought it. Yeh, but now in a big way. This bottle will last me for years, so I guess that's good. I was happier until I went through all my books and counted the number of drinks that need pimento liqueur. Hmmm, one hands not enough but two is more than enough.

For those who wondered if the bottle would really arrive, it did. I say, go for it. And now, I am going to make another Nui Nui - with real pimento liqueur for Jamaica. So take that ...

I live in Jamaica in a town called Bog Walk on a small farm that has one Pimento tree on it. After hurricane Dean I picked up all the branches that were torn off. I ended up with about 10 pounds of dried pimento. I stumbled across this forum while searching for a pimento liquor recipe.The berries that are left on the tree are now ripe and I need to do something with them.

On 2007-09-13 19:46, evlew wrote:
I live in Jamaica in a town called Bog Walk on a small farm that has one Pimento tree on it. After hurricane Dean I picked up all the branches that were torn off. I ended up with about 10 pounds of dried pimento. I stumbled across this forum while searching for a pimento liquor recipe.The berries that are left on the tree are now ripe and I need to do something with them.

Welcome to TC! Let us know how it comes out.

With the amount of ripe berries I am seeing I might try two or more methods. I tried it once before but at the time I didn't know that heat destroys the rich dark purple colour and the slightest heat sends Jamaican over proof rum flying.

[ Edited by: evlew 2007-09-15 17:05 ]

Hi all,
I've just tried a few Trader Vics Navy Grogs made with Sangsters Pimento Dram Liqueur,
and what a treat they were.
Sangsters Pimento Dram is the same strength as W & N Berry Hill 30o vol, it has a sightly
mellower but spicier taste, compared to Berry Hills clovey taste.
Not a great expert when it comes to comparing liqueurs, but I would be more than happy with
a bottle of either brands, as they are both fine products.
Just for reference the Berry Hill came from Reggae Treats in Jamaica, and a good friend of mine
picked up the Sangsters on a Birdwatching trip to the Duty-Free island of Heligoland off the
north-west coast of Germany, it is of course made in Jamaica.
Hopefully Sangsters will be more widely available than Berry Hill, giving more people a chance
to try this fine liqueur.
Best wishes.
Squad 701

Squad 701, Sangsters no longer makes the Pimento Dram. All if not most of the rum, liqueurs etc are now being made by Wray & Nephew, under their respective Brand names eg. Sangsters, Lillifield, Appleton.

At the point in time that the brand was acquired by Lascelles Jamaica, it was re-branded. That was the birth of "Berry Hill Pimento Liqueur". There is another pimento liqueur, however, under the name "Lillfield Pimento Liqueur"

Lascelles now owns Wray & Nephew and all their different brands.

Your friend properly got the pimento dram from a very very old inventory.

Thanks Jamaican Vibes for that update, I was sure it was a new product as he told me there were a few bottles available in the shop, the label looks quite new.
He's going back to Germany in a week or so, I'll get him to bring me back whatever they have left :)
Squad 701

That would be a good idea. All Sangsters products (Original rum cream and the flavored ones under the World's End line) are now being made by Wray and Nephew. I am trying to find out which year this took place.

found this piece of info on the Jamaica Gleaner website:-

Recently, the companies of Edwin Charley Jamaica Ltd., Estate Distributors (which includes Daniel Finzi & Co., purveyors of fine wines, spirits and liqueurs), Sangster's and Wray and Nephew have come together to form the Wray and Nephew Group owned by the Lascelles deMercado Group. A few local rum distributors such as National Rums continue to operate independently. *

Made an interesting discovery last night: Much to my surprise, the base spirit in Berry Hill Pimento Liqueur is not Wray & Nephew- in fact it's not rum at all: It's made with a grain neutral spirit.

On 2007-10-23 06:14, martiki wrote:
Made an interesting discovery last night: Much to my surprise, the base spirit in Berry Hill Pimento Liqueur is not Wray & Nephew- in fact it's not rum at all: It's made with a grain neutral spirit.

That makes some sense. I used to make all of my tinctures with grain because it was powerful and had no particular flavor of its own. But grain is so brutal and harsh that I switched to overproof rum, using W&N WO most of the time now.

What I'm more interested in is how you made your surprising discovery.

By having dinner last night with the woman who makes Berry Hill. Macerated pimentos, grain neutral spirit, and caramel color (duh) was all I was able to get out of her- the rest is a trade secret.

Still no plans to come stateside. She makes one batch a year, and the quantities are just enough to satisfy the domestic/duty free market. They don't believe it's worth it to export.

make no mistake there's also vanilla in the Berry Hill! hard to believe they use grain neutral spirits when they almost swim in the rum that surrounds them.

On 2007-10-23 10:28, martiki wrote:
By having dinner last night with the woman who makes Berry Hill. Macerated pimentos, grain neutral spirit, and caramel color (duh) was all I was able to get out of her- the rest is a trade secret.

Still no plans to come stateside. She makes one batch a year, and the quantities are just enough to satisfy the domestic/duty free market. They don't believe it's worth it to export.

Ah! You got it straight from the horse's mou...er...um...detective work...that's it. MartikInvestigations. I'm glad you relieved her of her macerated pimintos. Ladies love that.

Any news on the corporate shenanigans at W&N these days? Who's running the estate now? When are we gonna see AE Reserve in the US?

On 2007-10-24 06:44, The Gnomon wrote:

When are we gonna see AE Reserve in the US?

Good news: February!

On 2007-10-25 12:19, martiki wrote:

On 2007-10-24 06:44, The Gnomon wrote:

When are we gonna see AE Reserve in the US?

Good news: February!

I meant to say Master Blenders' Legacy. We already get Reserve. Is Legacy coming in February?

No word on Master Distillers. Reserve is not yet in the CA market, so Feb. for us on that.

Ladies & Gents! Murray Xmas to you all! I'm writing a Pimento Dram column for the Feb/March issue of Imbibe, and how could I do that without one of my infrequent but always pleasurable sojourns to Tiki Central!?

Just a little something by way of HOPE for your Christmas stockings....not only will the aforementioned fine rum be available in February, but also a new commercially made pimento dram which, in a nod to all of our concerns over the marketability of the name, will be termed "Allspice Dram." It will hit CA & NY stores mid-month according to our benefactor, Eric Seed. Martin is in on this too, so he may have more guidance, but having just had an 30 minute conversation with Eric about it, I just wanted to share the cheer!

Peace & goodwill,
--Doc.

That's excellent news Dr Haigh. If I had to name one ingredient that's had the most dramatic impact on tiki drinks I've made over the last year, it would have to be my homemade pimento dram (using your recipe). Can you tell us who is making it so we can be on the lookout and pester our local liquor stores to stock it?

Here's what to look for:

"From its origins in the tropical hills and valleys of Jamaica, the allspice berry has for generations been prized for its exceptional tastes of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg and a pepper note that dazzles the palate. The allspice liqueur, known in classic cocktails as "Pimento Dram," brings together the fine pot-still rum and classic allspice berries of Jamaica. Enjoy St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram in classic cocktails, Wassail and other punches, mulled wine, continental and island cuisine. 22.5% Alc./Vol. 375ml. "

Made by Haus Alpenz.

[ Edited by: martiki 2007-12-26 15:14 ]

Martin do you know who's gonna sell it in the Bay Area?

I've been to Jamaica many times. Now that you can't bring back booze on plane I came up with my own recipe for Pimento Dram. Email me and I'll forward it to you. [email protected]

On 2007-12-27 09:03, Camano Mermaid wrote:
I've been to Jamaica many times. Now that you can't bring back booze on plane I came up with my own recipe for Pimento Dram. Email me and I'll forward it to you. [email protected]

Why not just post it here?

Because I keep lots of Jamaican/ Caribbean recipes on my computer. Much easier than typing out. You may get lucky and get more you'll love. I can cook as well as drink hardy.

Why make more work for yourself? Don't email it multiple times when you can just post it once.

If it's really on your computer, you can just copy and paste it, right here.

Or if that's too difficult to figure out, just send me a PM with the recipe and I'll do the posting.

Pimento Dram

1 cup allspice berries *
freshly ground nutmeg to taste *
2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice - Not bottled!
1 quart Appleton white rum
1/4 pound cinnamon sticks *
2 quarts water
4 pounds sugar

Place allspice berries, grated nutmeg, fresh lime juice and rum in a crock and let stand for 3 days in a cool dark space. Crack the cinnamon sticks and boil in the 2 quarts of water. Remove the sticks and bring water back to a full boil over medium heat. Add the sugar and continue to boil for about 10 minutes to produce a cinnamon sugar syrup. Let cool on stove top.
Meanwhile remove the allspice berries from the rum mixture. Add the cooled cinnamon syrup and strain into a large glass decanter with spigot if possible. (I got one at Target). Cover and store in a cool place for at least a month an preferably longer before using. Serve as you would a fine cordial. Gets better with age. Enjoy!

**** I ORDER ALL THE SPICES FROM PENZEYS ONLINE. MUCH FRESHER AND CHEAPER TOO!

Thanks for the recipe Camano! This looks great!

On 2007-12-27 08:20, jazzman wrote:
Martin do you know who's gonna sell it in the Bay Area?

Look for it at the usual suspects:

Ledgers Liquors - Berkeley
John Walker & Sons - San Francisco
Plumpjack (Noe Valley) - San Francisco
Beltramos - Menlo Park
Weimax - Burlingame

On track for the end of February.

I think you're really going to like this spirit- it's much different than Berry Hill. Let's just call it more "pure". I'll get into more later when it comes on line.

As an aside, look for the Dr. Cocktail himself in a cameo in the movie Superbad. Playing a bartender, natch.

Good news fellow mixologists, I received word from my favorite liquor store in D.C. that they placed the order for St. Elizabeth today and I should have a couple of bottles in hand by the end of the week.

Nice when the Tiki Gods look out for you like that!

Lee

(I-Tiki)

Martiki, any news regarding this item?

for NoCal availability, it will likely be mid-March. SoCal maybe longer, though sooner if making a special request. PM me if you need any assistance.

Got my second 2 bottles from Jamaica of the Berry Hill. FAST! Great taste.

I've been making Pimemto Dram for years for my husband who craves the stuff. With the new laws on what you can carryon a plane it's a little hard to bring back from Jamaica when we visit. I use a recipe from a cookbook I've had a long time. It's called "Skyjuice & Flying Fish" by Jessica Harris. You can find on Amazon cheap. I've always used Penzey's allspice and cinnamon and I add some freshly grated nutmeg too. I use Appleton's white rum. As it ages it almost becomes like a honey'd cordial. Really goes down well with a spliff or a Cuban cigar, which we used to bring back before 9/11.

I just got a few bottles from Hi Time Wine Cellars on Friday, $32.99 each. This was my first trip to this place and it was amazing. Coruba Rum was $19.99. Still no sign of Velvet Falernum.

I'm very happy with my home made Pimento Dram using Chuck Taggart's recipe - no sign of the commercial version here in Hawaii. Has anyone compared the flavors of home made vs. St. Elizabeth?

The Velvet Falernun is at HiTimes, many bottles. On the St. Elizabeth, it is a completely different beast. The Berry Hill is much more in the same league as the homemade version from Imbibe. I find the Berry Hill and my homemde batches a tad sweeter. The homemade has a pronouced rum taste since it is, in fact, rum based. The Berry Hill is not and the St. Elizabeth is rum based. If I had to, in short, describe the differences, is that the St. Elizabeth is less candy-like.

BTW, Camano Mermaid's version is great! I am on my second batch. I dump it in everthing.