As the time neared when I would need to craft a post for the second Mixology Monday, my mind was ablaze with… nothing. I had been so utterly entranced by tiki and rum-related drinks, that I’d been drinking little else. But then I started to flip through my coveted copy of Grog Log, and I realized that I was being a big idiot for excluding coffee from my summer drink bonanza. With a little push in the right direction from the mad mixologist over at The Art of the Drink, I was on a quest to find an iced coffee drink. My only requirement was that it included rum.

Back to Grog Log. The Krakatoa looked every so tempting, but my first “shipment” of Demerara rum is three weeks away (at that time, I have no doubt that you will be bombarded with more tiki drinks than you can handle). So I next consulted the Internet Cocktail Database to see what mystical spells it could weave. I was looking for recipes to try my recently obtained bottle of St. James Rhum Vieux Martinique rum, and I wasn’t disappointed. But before I let you in on the drink, let’s have a look at rum production in Martinique, for it’s truly unique. Roll black and white footage and authentic tropical music…

Martinique produces a rum called Rhum Agricole, which is made quite differently from other rums. Instead of starting the process with molasses, rhum agricole begins its journey with fresh sugar cane juice. After being fermented into a wine of sorts, it is distilled to around 70% alcohol to bring out the intensity of the sugar cane. At this point, the magical solution rests, absorbing all of that nice tropical air for up to six months. Then much of it is bottled as rhum blanc before moving on to oak barrels. Now the rhum will absorb some wonderful smoky and vanilla flavors as it ages. At three years, it can be bottled as rhum vieux, or “old rhum.”

Ah, that was nice. Now for the drink!

Black Rose

• 1oz Martinique Rum (preferably St. James Rhum Vieux)
• 1tsp rich simple syrup
• 3oz medium roast cold coffee

Stir rich simple syrup with rum in the bottom of an Irish coffee glass. Add the coffee, and fill with ice.

Source: Internet Cocktail Database

Flavor

The coffee really brings out the flavor of the rum, yet the match somehow manages to be both delicate and bold. The rich simple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness, but more importantly, it imparts an intense caramel flavor that the Black Rose shouldn’t be without.

Finish

The original recipe calls for an undetermined amount of coffee, so I decided to make it a little more exact for you. I also replaced the granulated sugar with 1tp rich simple syrup, and it was a big win. To make your own, mix 2c of turbinado sugar (like Sugar in the Raw) or Demerara sugar with 1c water. Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cool, add in 1oz vodka for a preservative, bottle, and store in your refrigerator.