Erythromycin

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                                      Erythromycin

When I was a little boy, less than a year old, I had some health complications and the doctor prescribed me penicillin.  It turns out that I am allergic to it so, ever since then, I wear a chain around my neck with a tag indicating my blood type and my allergy to penicillin.  And while I am allergic to the antibiotic, I am definitely not allergic to its cocktail namesake, a fairly-recent creation by Sam Ross (from New York), in which he perfectly blends the notes of a smoky Scotch whisky with subtle flavors of honey and ginger.

I was inspired by this recipe but decided to give it a “rum twist” and changed its name to erythromycin, which is the antibiotic I can take instead of penicillin, and which is my “prescription” for all rum lovers.  After a full day of trials with different ingredients and proportions, I came up with the following:

  • 60 mL (2 oz) Mount Gay Eclipse Black, 50% ABV (100-Proof)
  • 25 mL (~ 3/4 oz) lime juice
  • 25 mL (~ ¾ oz) honey syrup (one part water mixed with two parts bee honey)
  • 20 mL (~ ½ oz) ginger syrup
  • 10 mL (~1/3 oz) Whisky Caol Ila, Distillers Edition 

A few clarifying notes: I selected the Mount Gay Eclipse Black because, in addition to its flavor profile, it is has an ABV of 50%, which makes it stand out in the cocktail.  If you don’t have this particular rum, you can substitute it with another one that has an equally-strong presence.  The honey syrup is very easy to make ahead of time, it is helpful to use lukewarm water, which dissolves the honey better.  If you make it ahead of time, keep it refrigerated (for up to a couple of days) until you use it.  The ginger syrup is also easy to make: finely slice ginger and add it to simple syrup, after a short while the simple syrup will have absorbed the aroma from the ginger.  If you can’t find this particular whisky, replace it with another one that has a well-defined smoky character.

Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, you can optionally add a bit of egg white, which helps produce a creamier consistency and foam.  Finally, you can garnish the cocktail with a couple of ginger slices, like I did.

For the cigar, I selected an Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Maduro, from the Dominican Republic, a short format similar to a Robusto.  If you can’t find this particular cigar, try to find a size equal to or smaller than a Robusto, with a smoking time of less than 30 minutes, because the cocktail won’t last much longer than that once served.

The cocktail is well-balanced, it helps to use a rum with 50% ABV or higher.  We also want some of the smoke character to come across, but with a rum finish, which helps pair up the cocktail with the cigar.  If you use a rum with a lower ABV, then the honey and the ginger will become more prominent, which may be pleasant to some, but would be imbalanced with the rest of the cocktail.

I hope you are able to recreate this Erythromycin, inspired by penicillin, but well-balanced and better geared for a rum and cigar pairing.

Philip Ili Barake

#GRCigarPairing