Colonial Ties recipe
A split-base cocktail uniting rye whiskey and Jamaican rum with rich demerara sugar and an absinthe rinse.
Method: Stir ·
Glass: Rocks glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Old Fashioned Family
Ingredients
- 1 oz Rye whiskey (bottled-in-bond preferred)
- 1 oz Jamaican rum (aged pot-still)
- 1 Brown sugar cube (demerara)
- 2 dashes Orange bitters
- 1 barspoon Club soda
- 1 tsp Absinthe (for rinsing glassware)
How to make a Colonial Ties
- Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discarding any excess, and set aside.
- Place the brown sugar cube in a mixing glass and saturate with orange bitters and club soda.
- Muddle the sugar into a smooth paste using a muddler or barspoon.
- Add the rye whiskey and Jamaican rum, fill the mixing glass with cracked ice, and stir thoroughly for thirty seconds.
- Strain the mixture into the prepared rocks glass and garnish with an expressed lemon twist.
Garnish
Lemon twist expressed over the surface and rested on the rim
Pro tip
Using a balanced split of high-proof rye whiskey and funky Jamaican rum ensures the spirit backbone stands up to the rich demerara sugar and absinthe aroma.
History of the Colonial Ties
Created in 2014 by bartender Eric Alperin at The Varnish in Los Angeles, this drink bridges traditional American and Caribbean spirits. The recipe pairs spicy rye whiskey with assertive Jamaican rum in a Sazerac-inspired framework.
Flavour profile
Spicy, Funky, Citrusy, Complex
Variations
- Cognac Tie — Substitute aged cognac for the rye whiskey for a fruitier, softer profile.
- Demerara Old Fashioned — Omit the absinthe rinse and club soda for a more direct, spirit-forward tasting experience.
- All-Spice Bump — Add a quarter-ounce of allspice dram to deepen the seasonal spice notes.
Practise making the Colonial Ties in the free Virtual Bar game.