Queen’s Park Swizzle

The Queen’s Park Swizzle is a classic tiki drink beloved by Trader Vic and many other tiki-philes that followed. The cocktail is said to have originated at the Queen’s Park Hotel in Trinidad in the 1920s.

The cocktail is made by muddling mint with sugar or simple syrup, then adding rum, lime juice and crushed ice and giving the drink a good swizzle. It is finished with bitters and we like the “float” they create on top, though there are plenty of recipes that add the bitters in with the rest of the ingredients and include them in the swizzle. The drink is typically made with white rum, which builds a drink with a clean and refreshing flavor profile, though any type of rum can be used. While the technique used to make the cocktail is different, the overall flavor profile is similar to that of a mojito (for those of you who haven’t had one before), but this swizzle is usually colder, boozier, less sweet and has a nice spice, thanks to those finishing bitters.

We like this cocktail on hot summer days and put a little twist on it when we make it, though that original combination is always a winner. This version uses both lime juice and grapefruit juice, along with a generous splash of spiced simple syrup that not only sweetens the drink, but ties in nicely with the bitters. Of course, you can use straight simple syrup, however the spice really works well and it is worth taking the time to make (or buy) the syrup. We used Cana Brava white rum in this version, but Angostura would be a good choice here, too.

Queen’s Park Swizzle
8-10 mint leaves
pinch sugar
2 1/4 oz white rum
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz grapefruit juice
3/4 oz Clement Canne Sirop or cinnamon simple syrup
5-6 dashes Angostura bitters

In a chimney glass, combine mint leaves with a small pinch of sugar. Muddle mint leaves to release their oils. Add in rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice and simple syrup. Fill glass with finely crushed ice and swizzle until a frost forms on the outside of the glass. Top off with additional crushed ice and 5-6 dashes of Angostura Bitters