Vintage 1930's and 1940's Cocktails with a Rum Touch

Clark Gable and Constance Bennett in Office After Hours

     The idea of revisiting the 1930's or 1940's through cocktails is a really fun one.  I only have one problem with doing this, most of the cocktails of that era were based on Gin.  There were some rum and whiskey cocktails, but most of that era was gin based.

    It was an era of glamorous movie stars and flapper dresses, and tied together with depression era dancing, canapes and big band swing  jazz.   Cocktails for the most part were served in Martini Glasses and had a very strong glamorous look to them with unique garnishes.

     Again I would like to take two of the more famous cocktails from the era and make them into a rum cocktail.

     The Manhattan was a very popular cocktail of the era that was made with rye whiskey.  I think that if you use a rum like Abuelo 12 or 7 year old rum this will be a really nice cocktail.


Abuelo Manhattan

• 2 1/4 oz. Abuelo 7 Year Old Rum
• 1 oz. Sweet Red Vermouth
• Dash of Bitters

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a Martini Glass and garnish with a cherry.





Plantation Sidecar

• 1 oz. Plantation Barbados 2000 Rum
• 1 oz. Cointreau
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice

Place all ingredients into an ice filled shaker and shake until chilled.  Strain into a sugar in the raw rimmed Martini Glass and garnish with a lemon zest or an orange .


Give both of these a try, I think you enjoy revisiting the Big Band Jazz era with the help of some very fine rums.  Rums carry the notes of the original spirits, then add a certain sweetness that the whiskey lacks.   Enjoy these cocktail when you get an opportunity