Clement Sirop de Canne

I tried to search for this, and didn't see much in the way of discussion of this product.

I noticed that one recipe in Smuggler's Cove (The Swizzle Francais) uses it. I was at my local store yesterday and noticed that they actually carry that product. It's about $10. I don't mind paying $10 for the passion fruit, falernum, or orgeat syrups as they actually aren't that cheap to make. But this seems like quite a bit to spend on basically a simple syrup.

The website and the bottle are a little lacking about what flavors are actually in it (I believe the ingredient list is natural aromas). The website implies clove, vanilla, and cinnamon. Given that I have cinnamon syrup and vanilla syrup, I wonder if just mixing those would be close. Of course it is made from the sugar cane in a different way so it might have some other flavors.

Has anyone bought this? Is it worth keeping around?

[ Edited by: arbeck 2017-01-06 11:44 ]

I've contemplated buying this as well but still haven't. I imagine it has an earthier flavor to it like agricole rums that are similarly made directly from the sugar cane. Hope some folks can chime in.

I have not tried the Clement, though I have gone through a couple of bottles of the one from Rhum J.M. and really like it. I believe it's called Sirop J.M. and from what I understand it's not too dissimilar to the Clement. I bought it to make 'Ti Punch but it is excellent to experiment with in other drinks. I am actually using it right now in a drink I'm trying to create instead of simple syrup or honey because of its unique flavour.

While it certainly has those notes of cinnamon and vanilla, it's not a syrup where those flavours are the top-heavy main flavours. If you took half an ounce of cinnamon syrup and half an ounce of vanilla you'd have an ounce of cinnamon-vanilla syrup, which is amazing, but you certainly wouldn't have Sirop de Canne, if you know what I mean. It's more subtle than that and there are other elements / flavours at work in there as well.

I will admit to initially being a bit underwhelmed, in the sense that I was buying something that I was going to use for only one cocktail and, as you said, it's only a simple syrup. However, one happy accident and several experiments later I find it to be a more complex ingredient than I initially sussed it to be. Obviously YMMV.

On 2017-01-06 11:53, HopeChest wrote:

While it certainly has those notes of cinnamon and vanilla, it's not a syrup where those flavours are the top-heavy main flavours. If you took half an ounce of cinnamon syrup and half an ounce of vanilla you'd have an ounce of cinnamon-vanilla syrup, which is amazing, but you certainly wouldn't have Sirop de Canne, if you know what I mean. It's more subtle than that and there are other elements / flavours at work in there as well.

I will admit to initially being a bit underwhelmed, in the sense that I was buying something that I was going to use for only one cocktail and, as you said, it's only a simple syrup. However, one happy accident and several experiments later I find it to be a more complex ingredient than I initially sussed it to be. Obviously YMMV.

I agree with HopeChest! I have used my bottle exclusively for making Ti' Punch and those cinnamon, vanilla and clove flavors are extremely subtle. One difference that I would point out is that is more viscous that simple syrup. It's more like a 2:1 syrup.

I don't think you "have" to use it for this recipe but it will be a different drink if you simply combine cinnamon and vanilla. But for only $10, I say try it. And then take HopeChest's advice and try in in other drinks. It would make a delicious daiquiri and an amazing Old Fashioned. And while you're deciding what to do after that, you'll be able to enjoy that Ti' Punch I was talking about...

I use Trois Riveras Sirop de Canne for old fashioneds - IMO it is worth paying for a simple syrup if it's better than you make at home!

I decant it into smaller bottles & add a little Bacardi 151 float to help preserve it. I think Trois Riveras is unspiced but Clement, Rhum Jm etc are spiced.

I went ahead and purchased it. As for preserving it, this post explains my preservation methods for syrups.

I used it in a daiquiri, a ti' punch, and a mai tai. I'm not sure any of the extra flavors came out in the mai tai or daiquiri vs. my normal demerara syrup. However, I felt like the ti' punch was probably a little better.

Recipe on bottle says:

Way to sweet

Will have to mess around with it or use a lot less

Worst sound ever, slurp of an empty tiki mug through my straw!!!

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2017-01-25 20:55 ]

On 2017-01-25 20:45, hang10tiki wrote:
Recipe on bottle says:

Way to sweet

Will have to mess around with it or use a lot less

---

Worst sound ever, slurp of an empty tiki mug through my straw!!!

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2017-01-25 20:55 ]

I boost the rum to 2oz and use about 1/4oz of syrup. I believe in the Smugglers Cove book they only use a teaspoon of syrup, but I found that a little tart with the lime.