Old School Cool: For The Best Vintage Punch, Revive These Cocktail Trends
Although most mixologists would credit American bartenders with the innovation and creation of different mixes, there are many drinks out there that were being concocted as pairings of spirit and mixers before cocktails became the buzzword at bars. These drinks can be counted among some vintage recipes that combine aromatics, sugar and liquors to pack a light kick in a glass, without making the drink too overpowering.
One such cocktail that has been popular since well before the 17th century is the punch, a combination of rose water, aqua vitae, citrons, spices and sugar. The drink which derives its name from the word ‘paanch,’ meaning five, was discovered during the time of the East India Company and was swiftly taken to Scottish Highlands and England to be popularised as a go-to mix for festivities and celebrations. Today, it is tough to imagine Christmas without a classic rum punch bowl and ladle, or any country dance without the appearance of small mugs containing punch.
Oftentimes, the drink would be infused with the flavours of lots of different fruits too, to add just a hint of tangy and sour notes to an already enriched profile. Even today, making fruit punch involves keeping most of the base ingredients like a spirit, an aromatic, a citrus, spices and sugar intact, while playing around only with different combinations and flavour pairings.
Old School Mixes
To make a traditional fruit punch however, all you would need are orange and pineapple juices for their citrusy notes along with a splendid Captain Morgan Dark Rum which is a staple in vintage punch recipes. Bring this together with soda water or ginger ale and even some tea for a bit of depth in a large punch bowl and mix well. A splash of brandy works as a neat trick to add a heightened buzz into the fruity concoction.
The cocktail trends around the time when punch became popular essentially revolved around the increasing popularity of distilled spirits like rum and gin and the incorporation of varied spices into mixology while making drinks out of these liquors. So, it is no surprise that the fruit punch that became famous during this era in taverns, barns and other social settings began to incorporate these spirits into their making.
Rum was a popular choice of the period so when you recreate classic fruit punch make sure you add both white and dark rum into its making. A dash of cinnamon powder in the drink would add that spicy and umami flourish which makes this age old cocktail a very well balanced number.
A vintage punch drink is usually served as one ladle helping only, making you come back for seconds without feeling too bad about drinking too much booze. The idea behind vintage mixes was to bring together fruit juices and other mixers with alcohol in such a way that you can enjoy only a light kick, which is exactly why punch fits perfectly in the classic old school cocktail party trends.
Vintage Presentation And Appeal
You can revive these centuries old trends by serving the timeless fruit punch in a bowl or pitcher that is decorated lavishly during the festive season. Use mistletoe or pine cones to make your punch vessel visually inviting and add lots of garnishes into the drink to make it texturally appealing. Such presentation would also involve garnishes done up in a slightly period style like fruit slices or ice rings or ginger shavings which fit into the overarching vintage theme.
For a casual hang, a simple ladle can be employed to serve this drink into small coffee mugs, rather than your cocktail glasses to enjoy the rum fruit punch in the most classical sense. The punch bowl too could be as simple as a round glass bowl accompanied by a deep steel ladle. Serving the punch in small proportions follows the idea of enjoying a relaxing yet fun drink between dances and conversation.
