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Queen's Park Swizzle

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (150)
Queen's Park Swizzle image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
8 fresh Mint leaves
2 fl oz Light gold rum (1-3 year old molasses column)
3/4 fl oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
1/2 fl oz Demerara/Muscovado/brown sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
2 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Collins glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a COLLINS GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of lime wedge and mint sprigs.

Method

  1. Gently MUDDLE mint in base of shaker (just to bruise).
  2. Use a bar spoon to raise the bruised mint up and around the inside of the glass to coat with fragrant mint oils.
  3. Add other ingredients.
  4. Two-thirds fill glass with crushed ice and SWIZZLE.
  5. Fill glass with more crushed ice and briefly CHURN.

Garnish

  1. Garnish with lime wedge and mint sprigs bouquet.
  2. Serve with a straw.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Alcohol content:

We don't have enough information to calculate the alc./vol., but based on known ingredients, this recipe contains at least:

  • 19.2 grams of pure alcohol

Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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History

Created at the Queen's Park Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad. The hotel opened on the 15th of January 1895 and it is likely that this cocktail emanated soon after. This luxury hotel was a fashionable stop for Hollywood types and well-heeled vacationers who spread the legend of its tall swizzled signature cocktail. The hotel was also famed for its Queen's Park Hotel Super Cocktail.

In this 1946, Trader Vics Book of Food and Drink, Victor Bergeron describes the Queen Park Swizzle as "the most delightful form of anesthesia given out today." A year later he also includes this swizzle in his Bartender's Guide By Trader Vic, adding, in the 1972 revised edition, "If you like to make and drink a real doozer of a rum drink that really is a rum drink, try this. It's from the Queen's Park Hotel in Trinidad."

QUEEN'S PARK SWIZZLE
½ large lime
Mint leaves
3 oz. 86-proof Demerara rum
2 dashes Angostura bitters
½ oz. simple syrup
Squeeze lime and drop shells with mint leaves into 14-oz glass; fill with shaved ice; add rest of ingredients and swizzle until glass frosts. Garnish with sprigs of mint.

Victor Bergeron, Bartender's Guide By Trader Vic, 1947


QUEEN'S PARK SWIZZLE
½ lime
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash rock candy syrup
1 ounce light Puerto Rican rum
1 ounce dark Jamaica rum
1 ounce 151-proof Demerara rum
Squeeze lime juice in 14-ounce chimney glass filled with shaved ice; save shell. Add remaining ingredients. Swizzle until uniform. Add spent lime shell, fresh mint, and a swizzle stick or stirrer

Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, 1972

Review

This close relation to the Mojito is drier, more complex and tad less minty than its sibling. Some like to finish this cocktail with a hefty dose of bitters to colour the crushed ice atop the cocktail but as Martin Cate says in his 2016 book Smuggler's Cove, "even though the bitters look pretty when floated on top, the drink tastes much better when they are swizzled with the rest of the ingredients." Two dashes integrated with the other ingredients is plenty.

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Comments & Discussion

Chris Dimal
This is a Mojito sibling that is moreishly dark, murky and velvety-bitter. If the Mojito is power metal, this is sludge metal, dank, bitter dirty. All of this is with the highest compliments to a fantastic rum drink. I used a mix of Havana Club 3 and Old Monk (to somewhat approximate Trinidad Rum) and a splash of OFTD to add some extra oomph, helping it get to that aforementioned description.
score: 0
Calvin Grant Premium Member
Tremendously tasty made with a Mauritius Muscovado rich sugar syrup, 30ml Bacardi Gold, 15ml each Smith & Cross and Myers's, pepperminty wild mint, two strong "super" dashes Angostura aromatic right out of the bottle dasher, and a splash of Velvet Falernum. And frankly, I shook this and poured over ice chips from the bottom of the freezer ice bucket.
Just enough volatile funk from the S&C.
score: 1
Calvin Grant Premium Member
Sometimes less is more. This was really good with 60ml Bacardi Gold, two carefully measured dashes Angostura, and mostly Muscovado syrup (I ran out and made up the difference with rich). All balanced, all brilliant.
score: 0
Caspian Berggren Premium Member
It's like a more complex Mojito. I'd really recommend trying out different rum mixes because they'll all be good yet different. I made it with 6cl Hampden's Gold, and even though it was slightly too funky it still tasted great and was balanced.
score: 2
MiRiNaeJM
Wow, this is really good!
I couldn't even bring myself to think that Demerara syrup and Angostura bitters could enhance a mojito’s flavor this much.
Also, with a recipe like this, it seems easy to make at home or order at a bar.
score: 2
Avery Garnett
Much better than I expected as I've never been a fan of mint in drinks. Made with a split of arrack and rhum barbancourt, but this is definitely a lovely long spiced rum drink with some mint.
score: 2
Jose Cruz
is good, but i wanted to make it great so i added 10ML falernum syrup ! next level now :D
score: 3
Calvin Grant Premium Member
Do like the falernum here, thanks.
score: 1
Russell Lee
I’m definitely with Trader Vic when it comes to their 1972 recipe here. A 3-rum blend really gives this drink proper character (but I hold to 2 oz of rum total, so I don’t end up under the table). It definitely should consist of #1) a light/gold 1-3 year, #2) an overproof/navy-strength, and #3) a heavy Demerara. My personal preference is 1 oz Plantation Grande Reserve (or 3-Star), 1/2 oz Smith & Cross, and 1/2 oz El Dorado 12 year. And yes - I love to load it up unreasonably with Angostura!
score: 2
Jose Cruz
great rums to mix, i would worry they lose their characters when broken down like this, might give it a shot.
score: 3
Calvin Grant Premium Member
Big agree!
score: 1
Miguel Perales Premium Member
As the description says, a less minty version of a Mojito (which I actually preferred) that has a nice balance between sweetness and citrus sour. Very nice.
score: 2
William Lynch
Recipe is nearly spot on, but the drink pictured has lost the drama. The mint should remain in the bottom and the bitters should be dashed on top leaving a strong three-layered look. Also, most recipes call for 4-8 dashes of bitters.
score: 6

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