Name: Planter's Punch
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Jamaican OP aged rum; 30 ml Lime juice; 15 ml Sugar syrup (2:1); 60 ml Chilled water; 3 dash Aromatic bitters

Planter's Punch
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Photographed in an UB Ice Mixer 14.5oz

Ingredients:
1 ¹⁄₂ oz	Jamaican-style overproof aged pot still rum
1 oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
¹⁄₂ oz	Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
2 oz	Chilled water
3 dash	Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Collins glass.
Prepare garnish of orange slice wheel and mint sprigs.
SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
STRAIN into ice-filled glass.
EXPRESS orange zest twist over cocktail and use as garnish along with mint sprigs bouquet.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A tangy punch that harnesses the strength and rich flavours of the rum.

View readers' comments

Variant:

Rum Punch

History:

Invented in the late 19th century by the founder of Myers's rum, Fred L. Myers. The recipe on the back of each bottle of his rum is known as the "Old Plantation formula" and uses the classic rum punch proportions: 1 sour (lime), 2 sweet (sugar), 3 strong (rum), and 4 weak (water).

Rather than this, or the American formula: 1 sour, 2 sweet, 3 weak, and 4 strong, I've followed David A. Embury's recommendation (in his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks) of 1 sweet, 2 sour, 3 strong and 4 weak.

1 part Sugar Syrup
2 parts Lemon Juice
3 parts Jamaica Rum
2 or 3 dashes Angostura to each drink.
Shake vigorously with crushed ice and pour, without straining, into Collins glasses. Pack glasses to top with crushed ice, fill to within 1/2" to 1/3" of top with charged water and churn with a bar spoon until glasses start to frost. Decorate with fruit as desired and serve with straws.
David A. Embury, 1948

Nutrition:

One serving of Planter's Punch contains 188 calories

Alcohol content:

1.4 standard drinks
13.36% alc./vol. (13.36° proof)
20.2 grams of pure alcohol

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Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 comments for Planter's Punch.
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Simon Sedgley

30th April at 11:28

We were expecting something somewhat overpowering and were very pleasantly surprised at its elegant and refreshing nature. We followed Cole Hladun's advice and laid a gentle float of Falernum. Next time we might substitute Dillon Sirop de Canne Roux for the simple syrup.

Robert Spain

5th July 2024 at 20:29

A great high ball drink. Smith and Cross is deliciously funky, and ime is not overwhelmingly sour. Tried with still and sparkling water, both are good.

Calvin Grant

19th March at 00:47

Also used S&C, added seltzer after the shake. Excellent and refreshing!

Cole Hladun

24th June 2024 at 01:53

Made with Rum Fire and a Falernum float. Very good.

Calvin Grant

19th March at 00:43

Looks delicious, will try.

Jose Cruz

29th March 2024 at 04:39

Smith and cross to the Rescue, 25ML demerara syrup for me. Surprisingly still super funky even with all that dillution and ice. Excellent.

Ben S

13th April 2024 at 22:30

Same experience here! I was a bit dubious from 2 full oz of dilution. This is an easy, funky rum-foward delight!

John Hinojos

28th August 2023 at 00:10

Had again on a very warm late August afternoon. As the Jamaicans know, this is one of the best ways to cool down. Did substitute our own grenadine for the sugar syrup. Still dry, but improved the colour of the cocktail.

Hunter Newsome

21st August 2023 at 22:23

This was intensely dry. I would reduce the lime by 1/2 or up the sugar syrup by 1/2.

John Hinojos

27th August 2023 at 23:37

You would like the Rum Punch instead of this one. It is 1 of sour to 2 of sweet.

Chris Dimal

17th July 2023 at 08:40

A drink which can really highlight the funkiness of a Jamaican rum, no matter how mild it may seem. I used Appleton Estate Reserve Blend, and I actually taste the funk a fair bit (or whatever is there, anyway).

Chris Dimal

17th July 2023 at 08:41

I also want to add that I used a mix of Demerara syrup and standard sugar syrup (2:1 ratio).

Anonymous

15th January 2022 at 18:09

Quite dangerous because it is boozy and tastes so good.

John Hinojos

27th August 2021 at 01:49

Being a big rum drinkers (we have over 25 different types), I loved this. It was refreshing, as a Planter's Punch should be, without all sweetness you can get from some. Great recipe. We have a collection of multiple Tiki recipes from the 1960s, this is by far the best.

Sally Morgan

16th May 2021 at 19:08

If Noël Coward recommends a cocktail to Alec Guinness - ‘I think you’ll like this’ then you absolutely have to try it don’t you? If you’re paying attention to ‘Our Man in Havana’ you’ll notice it’s served in a coupé glass (I assume the electricity shortages meant ice was in shortage) but if you rein in the water a bit it works that way as well.

Noël - I never should have doubted you. Yummy.