The Story Behind The Queen’s Park Swizzle

Bursting with fresh mint in each refreshing sip, there’s lots to love about the sweet Queen’s Park Swizzle.

It’s named for the Queen’s Park Hotel, a Prohibition-era haven in Trinidad for American drinkers. As the location swarmed with thirsty travelers throughout the 1920s, mixologists behind the bar sought to innovate new drinks using local spirits. Enter, this Demerara rum-spiked Tiki cocktail.

The Queen’s Park Swizzle is, at its base, a reimagined Daiquiri or Mojito. Swirls of dark rum combine with the tartness of fresh lime juice and sweetness of simple syrup. So good is the combination that in 1946 Trader Vic went so far as to call this drink “the most delightful form of anesthesia given out today.”

While sipping this cocktail can be a lovely experience, it’s something of a labor of love to prepare.

First, the mint should be muddled with the simple syrup to release essential oils from the herbs. The remaining ingredients (sans Angostura bitters) are added with a generous amount of crushed ice, and a swizzle stick or barspoon should be used to “swizzle” the ingredients (mixing until frost appears on the outside of the glass).

The final touches arrive in the form of a few dashes of Angostura bitters that are floated on top. As the dark red bitters dissolve into the drink, the drink’s hue transforms. A white rum can be used, instead of the traditional dark rum, for a more dramatic effect.

Ingredients

2 ounces rum
1 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce lime juice
4 dashes Angostura bitters
6 fresh mint leaves
Garnish: mint sprig

Directions

Muddle mint and simple syrup inside a highball or Collins glass.
Add rum and lime juice and fill with crushed ice. Gently twist a bar spoon or swizzle stick, combining the ingredients until frost forms on the outside of the glass.
Top with bitters and a sprig of mint.