Spicy Cocktails With History to Jolt Your Tastebuds

Your history teacher might have taught you that George Washington, a founder of our country, rose to power due to his military genius during the Revolutionary War and his artful ability to compromise during the Constitutional Convention.

What’s usually left out of the history books – unless you’re reading the right ones – is that Washington met his first political successes on a rising tide of hard liquor. And not just any hard liquor – pumpkin spice hard liquor.

This is not a joke. One of the most popular drinks in the 1700s was a blend of rum, sugar and spices. It was commonly called “bumbo” or “bumboo” and was favored by pirates over the boring rum-and-lime Royal Navy ration, which is why you’ll see Captain Morgan swashbuckling his way across liquor labels to this day.

However, a deeper look at what went into a Colonial-era bumbo recipe reveals a very familiar flavor profile. Rum, sugar, and a bit of water … fine. But also a good portion of nutmeg – and if you’ve got some on board, a pinch of cinnamon, a dash of powdered ginger and maybe some clove or allspice. Any pie baker can tell you those spices are what makes a pumpkin pie a pumpkin pie.

As for Washington, well, here’s how historian Daniel Okrent, writing in “Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition,” described his earliest campaign: “When 24-year-old George Washington first ran for a seat in the Virginia House of Burgesses, he attributed his defeat to his failure to provide enough alcohol for the voters. When he tried again two years later, Washington floated into office partly on the 144 gallons of rum, punch, hard cider and beer his election agent handed out – roughly half a gallon for every vote he received.”

That’s a lot of booze. Political pundits in the powdered-wig era called the practice “swilling the planters with bumbo,” and it worked.

So let other didactic dipsomaniacs turn their noses up at the prospect of a pumpkin-spice cocktail concoction. For the reflective Biscayne Tippler, spice is nice. If you’re sipping, for example, the Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned at Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant & Bar, you’re not falling for a Starbucks-fueled fad – you’re celebrating a vital part of American history. It’s not a bumbo, being made with Four Roses bourbon rather than rum, but it’s still in a family of flavors that’s been enjoyed for centuries.

Miami’s Spice

Chef Adrianne’s isn’t the only local spot carrying on a spicy tradition behind the bar.

At Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery in South Beach – partner and mixologist Danilo Bozovic won a gold medal for the U.S. with it in the 2018 Remy Martin Talent Academy competition in France – spice seekers can celebrate an international sensation: the Newburgh Sour. Try whipping one up at home, if you’re willing to brave a recipe requiring a raw egg.

Up in Broward, you can even find spiced tea taking center stage in the Chai Me Up cocktail at Whiskey Neat. But closer to home, Orno in Coral Gables skips the tea in favor of a spiced espresso cocktail called La Roma, which subtly summons up the essence of Nutella – hazelnuts and chocolate – behind its coffee kick.

A final jolt of flavor can be had at the southern tip of South Beach, where Kosushi Miami has plunged headfirst into the spice cabinet for a singular seasoning. No, not ginger. Its Umami Fashion cocktail relies on Suntory Toki Whisky infused with dried mushrooms for a savory sensation.

Maybe Captain Morgan and General Washington wouldn’t recognize it as bumbo, but it’s a good bet they’d enjoy it.

Hearth & Home

For those who’d like a simpler way to appreciate some historical spice at home, a classic gin sling is a drink that also goes back to the 1700s. According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the sling “became one of the iconic American drinks, consumed morning, noon and night and everywhere American was spoken.”

In fact, the sling predates the cocktail; the first use of the word “cocktail” in print, in 1806, explains that a “cock-tail” is “vulgarly called a bittered Sling.” In other words, it’s an old fashioned without the bitters.

When the weather turns cold, it’s especially nice to turn this gin sling into a hot drink by heating the water before adding, but if you’d prefer it chilled, use cold water and serve over ice in a highball glass. Grating whole nutmeg rather than using the jarred powder, however, is non-negotiable.

PUMPKIN SPICE OLD FASHIONED

INGREDIENTS

·     2 ounces Four Roses Bourbon

·     1 ounce pumpkin spice-infused simple syrup

·     4 dashes orange bitters

·     1 Luxardo cherry

·     1 large ice cube

·     Cinnamon stick for garnish

METHOD

·     Place bourbon, simple syrup and orange bitters in cocktail mixing glass; add ice and stir 20 seconds.

·     Strain and pour into rocks glass with large ice cube; garnish with cinnamon stick and Luxardo cherry.

NEWBURGH SOUR

INGREDIENTS

·     1 3/4 ounces Harleston Green Blended Scotch Whisky

·     1/2 ounce black tea-infused Amaro Montenegro

·     1 ounce lemon juice

·     1/2 ounce demerara syrup (2:1 sugar to water)

·     1 raw egg

·     Old-fashioned bitters

·     Whole nutmeg

METHOD

·     Pour ingredients into mixing glass, add five large ice cubes and shake vigorously.

·     Strain into chilled coupe glass; garnish with three dashes old-fashioned bitters and freshly grated nutmeg.

LA ROMA

INGREDIENTS

·     1 shot espresso

·     1 ounce hazelnut orgeat syrup

·     3/4 ounce Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur

·     1 1/2 ounces Ilegal Mezcal

·     3 dashes chocolate bitters

·     Lemon twist

METHOD

·     Shake espresso, orgeat, liqueur and mezcal with chocolate bitters.

·     Serve in cognac glass over ice; add lemon twist for garnish.

UMAMI FASHION

INGREDIENTS

·     2 ounces mushroom-infused Suntory Toki Whisky

·     1/4 ounce brown sugar simple syrup

·     2 dashes umami bitters

·     1 dash Angostura bitters

·     Large dried mushroom

·     Orange peel

METHOD

·     In plastic cup, pour whisky over good quantity dried mushrooms and let steep for 24 hours, then strain and transfer to bottle for storage.

·     In cocktail mixing glass, stir all ingredients and strain over big rocks in rocks glass; garnish with dehydrated mushroom and orange peel.

CLASSIC GIN SLING

INGREDIENTS

·     1 teaspoon sugar (powdered melts better)

·     1 ounce water

·     2 ounces (Old Tom is more authentic, but any will do)

·     Whole nutmeg

METHOD

·     Heat water with sugar, then add gin; grate nutmeg generously over the top and stir well.

·     Pour into desired glass and sling back.