Queen’s Park Swizzle

rum, lime juice, simple syrup, Peychaud’s bitters, Angostura bitters, simple syrup, sugar cube, mint

I found this recipe in Death & Co Modern Classic Cocktails book, it is also available many places online.

This cocktail is surprisingly old! Created at the Queen’s Park Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The hotel opened in 1895, and it is believed this cocktail was invented about the same time. I’m looking for information on the hotel now…it looks as if the hotel might have closed up or changed names within the last decade or so.

The cocktail is a lot like a mojito, with a couple of important differences. First – no club soda. This one is served in a pilsner glass with crushed ice, and the melting ice dilutes it the same way club soda would. Second – the bitters! I think Peychaud’s bitters is underused in cocktails…it adds such a nice flavor and color.

I like the presentation of using the colors of the mint and bitters for layering. And this is the first time I’ve served a cocktail in a pilsner glass.