Planter's Punch (Americanised)

If our classic Planter’s Punch is the drink as Jamaica made it, this is the drink as it looked after a few decades in American resort and tiki bars. The bones are still there, rum, lime, sweetness and Angostura, but it has picked up a second rum, banana liqueur, mandarin and pineapple juice, grenadine and a splash of soda. The result is a tall, fruity, coral-orange cooler that drinks far more easily than its strong Jamaican ancestor.

The Americanised tag is honest. Through the middle of the twentieth century, bars in the United States treated Planter’s Punch as a blank canvas for fruit, and recipes like this one became the version most people were actually served. Splitting the base between dark and white rum keeps some molasses depth while lightening the body. Crème de banane leans into the tropical side, mandarin juice brings a softer, sweeter citrus note than orange, and the pineapple adds body and a little tang. Grenadine supplies the color and a berry-like sweetness, while the lime and bitters keep it from tasting like a juice box. Soda goes in last to lift everything. It is a party drink, and the garnish should look like one.

Glass: Hurricane glass | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bartenders tip: Mandarin juice can be hard to find, so fresh tangerine or clementine juice is a good stand-in, and plain orange juice works in a pinch. Add the soda after shaking, never into the shaker, or you will lose the fizz and risk a sticky mess. Pack the glass with ice before you strain so the drink stays cold and the soda keeps its sparkle. Grate the nutmeg fresh right before serving, because the aroma is half the appeal.