Last week I worked with some of the vintage Vodka Cocktails and substituted rums. I was very pleased with the results, so this week it is Bourbon's turn. I have done this before, with Mount Gay Black Barrel and XO to yield some very interesting and flavorful libations. Today I'm going to try this with a Panamanian rum called "Zafra". This rum is very well suited to the task, it has great bourbon notes and other fine attributes that make it perfect for the cocktails.As most origins of the older cocktails go, there are a several versions of how the “Sidecar” originated. One version, says that it was developed in a Paris bistro during World War I by a barman for an American Army captain in Paris "and named after the motorcycle sidecar in which the good captain was driven to and from the little bistro where the drink was born and christened". It seems that the cocktail was a huge hit at “Harry’s Bar in Paris as well. Like many other cocktails out of the past, there are several theories and tales of their origins, but the cocktail is what really matters and not who created it.
Zafra Sidecar
- 1 oz. Zafra Master Reserve Rum
- 1/4 oz. Cointreau
- 2 oz. Sweet and Sour
Try some other rums if you like, but look for the strong bourbon or cognac notes in the rum. Just one note the original was said to be made with cognac or brandy, this later became bourbon in the 1940's. Anyway try this version I think you will really enjoy it.
