Zombie, Aku-Aku

The second most common juice used in cocktails. This citrus juice is about 6% acid; 4% from citric and 2% from malic, with small amounts of succinic acid (this is what gives it a little bloody taste). Lime juice should be used the day it is squeezed, some like it freshly squeezed and others like it a few hours old.

A juice used in some cocktails for its tart and acidic properties. Grapefruit juice can be pre-squeezed and kept fresh for many days like orange juice, unlike lemon and lime juice.

A concentrated syrup made from sugar water and cinnamon bark. You can make this yourself by adding a few cinnamon sticks to your simple syrup making process. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.

A subset of aged (dark) rums that specifically come from Jamaica. These rums are highly regarded for their unusual pot-still funk, necessary for certain classic cocktails.

Also called amber rums, gold rums are medium-bodied rums that get their coloring from added sugars like molasses or caramel. These rums can either be left un-aged or slightly aged in charred oak barrels.

A high proof (>57.5 ABV) dark/black rum, that may be specifically from one origin or a blend from many. Common examples are Plantation OFTD and Lemon Hart 151.

A concentrated aromatic bitters made in Trinidad from water, ethanol, gentian and other herbs and spices; used in many classic cocktails like the Manhattan.

A liqueur predominantly flavored with the dried peels of the laraha orange native to the island of Curaçao. Curaçao liqueur likely originated in the 1600s from the Dutch spirit company Bols after the West Indies Company controlled trade from the island. The liqueur comes in many colors with blue being the original made by Bols, however the color is only added for effect and adds no flavor. Triple Sec (ie: Cointreau) is considered a white Curaçao.

The general term for the Carribean-based nonalcoholic syrup. Falernum is a sweet syrup commonly used in tropical drinks and usually flavored with almond, ginger, cloves, vanilla, allspice and lime. You can make it yourself, it takes a few days. Combine 1/3 cup toasted almonds with 1/2 cup for light rum. Seal and let sit for 2 days. Add the zest of 8 limes (no pith) and 30 whole cloves, stir and let sit for another day. Juice 4 limes and strain the juice into a sauce pot. Add 2/3 cups water and 1/2 cup sugar and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Let the syrup cool then combine it with the almond/rum infusion. Stir to combine then strain all through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. Add alcohol as a preservative and turn it into Velvet Falernum.

A commonly used syrup made from pomegranate juice, characterized by a flavour that is both tart and sweet, and by a deep red colour. Coming from the French spelling of pomegranate, 'grenade.' To make it yourself (don't buy it premade) combine 100% pomegranate juice (like the Pom Wonderful brand) with equal parts sugar by mass. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.

A major producer of the French liqueur pastis, an anise-flavored liqueur. A successor of Absinthe, it was produced under that moniker until it was banned in france in the early 1900s. Henri Pernod, then focused its efforts on the lower-alcohol, wormwoodless, anise-flavored Pernod.

Aromatic plants used in cocktails as a garnish or muddled into the liquor to add a light fresh taste. Common in the Mint Julep.