Cherry at the Center of the Universe

They say that the center of our galaxy tastes like raspberries and smells like rum – which is a pretty good combination, so it’s no surprise that that was the inspiration for Martin Cate’s Center of the Galaxy, which is a wonderful cocktail to make when you have Chambord and some great Demerara rums in your bar. The original drink is so straightforward that it is easy to alter it with other fruity liqueurs, and we’ve used it as a base to showcase all kinds of other liqueurs. In this variation, the Cherry at the Center of the Universe, we’re playing with Cherry Heering.

The cocktail uses two types of rum, an aged Demerara (we used Hamilton) and a white Demerara (we used El Dorado, which is aged but filtered to give it a lighter body). The two work well together because you get some dark caramel and stone fruit from the Hamilton without overwhelming the sweetness of the cherry liqueur, which gets a generous pour. These are blended with fresh lime juice, honey syrup and the wonderful Clement Canne Sirop, which is infused with cinnamon, vanilla and ginger and is a fabulous match for the lightly spiced Cherry Heering. If you don’t have the clement, use our spice-infused syrup instead to get good results.

Cherry at the Center of the Universe
1 oz aged Demerara rum
1 oz white Demerara rum
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz Clement Canne Sirop
1/4 oz honey syrup

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a cherry and a lime wheel.