Stiggins Fancy Swizzle

Plantation Pineapple Rum Stiggins’ Fancy is a great rum that both tiki enthusiasts and cocktail enthusiasts in general tend to gush over. The rum is made by infusing ripe pineapples in aged rum fo three months. Instead of using the flesh of the pineapple, they actually use the whole fruit – rind and all – which allows them to extract a tremendous amount of natural flavor. The rich flavor of the rum is a contrast to some of the sweet, artificially-flavored pineapple rums that are on the market. It can be difficult to track down a bottle, but it is a lot of fun to work with when you have one in your bar.

This Stiggins Swizzle is just one of the many wonderful drinks that you can make with your bottle – and it just so happens to be a version of the drink that we demoed on San Diego Living this week. It was inspired by our 151 Swizzle – so it also incorporates Lost Spirits Cuban Style 151 – but we added in a few extra elements that were more pineapple-friendly to play up the flavor of the rum. For instance, instead of using simple syrup, we melted some honey into pineapple juice for a hone-pineapple syrup that acts as an amazing sweetener in this drink. It’s such a good combination that you’ll probably see us use it in the future, as well. The syrup is blended with both lemon and lime juices, the Stiggins, the 151 and a few dashes of grapefruit bitters. The 151 we used has a nice spice note to it, so we finished the drink with a dash of cinnamon. If you’re feeling like showing off, float an extra 1/2-oz of 151 on top of your drink and light it up before sprinkling on the cinnamon. The finished drink smells amazing and tastes even better, with a honeyed pineapple flavor that is intensely satisfying.

Stiggins Swizzle
1 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz honey
1 oz Plantation Stiggins Pineapple Rum
1/2 oz 151 proof rum (we used Lost Spirits)
1/2 oz lime juice
1/4 oz lemon juice
2 dashes grapefruit bitters
dash cinnamon
optional: 1/2 oz 151 for a float

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine pineapple juice and honey and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir until honey is dissolved.
In a tall glass, combine pineapple syrup, pineapple rum, 151, lime juice, lemon juice and grapefruit bitters. Fill the glass with crushed ice and swizzle until well-chilled. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving and garnish with pineapple fronds and a cinnamon stick.

Optional (but fun): Place a spent lime shell on top of the drink and fill with 1/2-oz 151 (it’s ok if it spill over into the drink). Light 151 carefully with a match and sprinkle cinnamon on top just before serving. Stir 151 and cinnamon into the drink.