To celebrate the launch of Drinks Tube, I’ve teamed up with the head bartender from Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, Jay, to create a cocktail that combines Barcardi’s famous white rum with my favourite tipple; wine (or, more specifically, Prosecco). For more on sparkling wines, check out my blog from December.
The cocktail we came up with is a twist on ‘The Last Word’; an old gin classic favoured by prohibition anarchists, when it was often served in teapots to disguise its illegitimate alcoholic nature. Although the original used gin, for this little number we decided on Barcardi white rum and the result was, if I say so myself, rather wonderful. Tart yet so drinkable, this cocktail is bound to impress both sweet and sour lovers, and is all-round party pleaser.
Although not a complex recipe, it does require a bit of prep, as it uses one vital ingredient in any cocktail-lover’s cupboard – gomme syrup – and one more unusual one – a Prosecco reduction; but you’ll need to make them both from scratch.
So, before we move onto the main event:
Homemade gomme syrup
Add 2 parts sugar to 1 part water on a high heat until all the sugar has dissolved and you have a clear liquid. Leave to cool and then pour it into bottle.
Homemade Prosecco reduction
In a saucepan, bring 200ml of Prosecco to the boil with 10ml of gomme syrup. Allow the mixture to reduce to one-third of its original amount. Make sure you wait until the mixture has cooled down before you bottle it or add into the cocktail.
Jay’s Last Say
Ingredients:
- 35ml Barcardi white rum
- 15ml yellow Chartreuse
- 12.5ml Prosecco reduction
- 5ml Luxardo Mascharino
- 25ml lime juice
Method:
Fill one third of a Boston shaker with ice. One by one, add all ingredients to the shaker and secure the lid. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, then double strain it into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a mascharino cherry.
Check Pip’s jargon-busting guide to cocktails if you don’t recognise any of the terms used above!
