Chacun Prépare Sa Propre Mort. A bit ominous for a lighthearted Friday drinking post no? For those that don’t speak French, that phrase translates to “Everyone Prepares Their Own Death”. What does this have to do with cocktails? Well, apparently it’s a tradition to serve this week’s cocktail: Ti’ Punch.

In this context, preparing your own death is making your punch just how you like it. Your host (assuming it’s at a party/gathering) provides the glassware, rhum, sweetener (usually cane syrup) and limes, but leaves the prep work to the individual. I kind of like this way of serving drinks actually. Less work for me, and everyone gets the drink they want. Win/win! I discovered this drink doing some research on what flavors work well with this type of rum. During the impromptu rum tasting I had in Grand Case, the owner of the place we were at suggested drinking this rum either neat, or with sugar and lime. I wasn’t exactly sure which kind of sugar he meant. I figured it could have been turbinado, or brown sugar syrup. I assumed he was referring to a syrup since this is meant to be had either neat or over ice. Neither of which really allows for sugar to dissolve. In my research, it turns out he was more than likely using cane sugar in his Ti’ Punch. Unfortunately I do not have cane sugar, so i read you can substitute simple syrup, so I did.

Ti’ punch

As mentioned above, the proportions are up to the individual. I looked up a few different measurements for the ingredients and based on those, this is what I ended up using of each:

2 oz. Rhum Agricole

1 barspoon simple syrup

1 lime wedge, squeezed.

In a rocks glass, add the simple syrup and the freshly squeezed lime juice. Add the rhum and stir to incorporate. Add ice if you want.

The aroma is dominated by the rum. Having never had a rhum agricole before, I assumed it would be fairly neutral like other rums. Oh no. The sugarcane aroma hits hard here. It is reminiscent of a toasted molasses smell, with some banana notes in there too? I could be wrong, but that is what my (admittedly extremely novice) nose can pick up here. It even overpowers the lime which I found kind of surprising, but thinking back at the tasting, and then a neat sip just before having this, it seems like it would be obvious that the sugarcane would take over everything there.

The sip is very nice. The rhum takes the lead, with its very distinct sugarcane flavor. Of which, is very similar to the aroma. It has a toasty, malty molasses start, and then becomes slightly bitter. That bitterness is no doubt kept in check by the simple syrup. Of which, I had to use in place of cane syrup. I only have simple on hand so I’m sure I’m missing some more subtle flavors the cane syrup can bring, but in a pinch simple works.

The finish is a sweet and sour led affair. As the rhum flavors dissipate, the syrup and lime shine through and almost act as palate cleansers. Since the rhum flavor is so pronounced, it is nice to have that as the ending to bring your taste buds back and re-set them for the next sip. Thankfully there isn’t much of a lingering flavor left on the palate, so you can dive right back in.

I can really have some fun with this, though I can see myself holding back since this isn’t exactly a spirit I can find easily, especially this kind of small batch rhum. So I’ll be making it again, but I’m just not sure when. Maybe when I firm up my next trip back to St. Martin.

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)