It’s always exciting to see a not-so-common ingredient enter the tiki recipe realm. In the case of Oriol Elias’ Jamaican Spiced Swizzle #3, it’s not the half-ounce of Angostura bitters that’s so unusual. Sure, a few folks still haven’t caught on to the magic of Angostura-heavy recipes. But what’s unusual about Oriol’s JSS #3 is the cherry syrup.
It may initially surprise you, but cherry syrup played no significant part in Tiki’s golden era. A few recipes like the Singapore Sling and Ankle Breaker call for cherry liqueur, but that’s a different beast altogether. Before you exclaim, “Dangit – I don’t have black cherry syrup!” you may have some without realizing it. Read on!
The JSS #3 recipe is among my favorites of Oriol’s recipes in our Minimalist Tiki book, alongside The Last Fang, Bald Bastard Swizzle, 138 Swizzle, Escape to Molokai, and Bahía de Montego (a modern spin on the Montego Bay).
Oriol’s recipe in the book calls for black cherry syrup, ideally from Reàl. Should you not have that, consider this: one of the canonical tiki garnishes is a high-quality dark cherry. Such cherries come packed in a thick, rich cherry syrup that’s perfect to use in a JSS #3.
Well-known high-end cherry brands include Luxardo, Fabri, and Toschi. Pro tip: I buy the 2.2 lb can of Toschi on Amazon for $25; per-cherry, it’s far less expensive than the small jars most people buy, so go big! The Toschi can fits easily in a quart-sized mason jar and yields well over a cup of thick, rich cherry syrup.
While the Bastard’s Mix #2 might give initial pause, it’s just orgeat, cinnamon syrup, and pimento dram—all within the standard set of tiki ingredients. Enough for a drink or two is easily constructed on the fly. Between the Angostura bitters, pimento dram, and cinnamon syrup, there’s lots of spice going down in this recipe!
Jamaican Spiced Swizzle #3 Recipe
A huge thanks to Oriol for letting us use his recipes in our book, as well as for letting me share it here. You absolutely must check out Oriol’s site, Three of Strong, as well as his video for the JSS #3.
