This cocktail was a finalist for Tales of the Cocktail x Planteray Rum Tropical Week
A playful tropical fizz built around my favourite homemade ingredient: spiced banana bread syrup. Bright apple acidity, rich pineapple rum, and a touch of sherry create a silky, nostalgic highball that’s both comforting and complex.
1.75 oz Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum
0.25 oz Soho Lychee Liqueur
0.75 oz Spiced Banana Bread Syrup*
0.75 oz Acid-Adjusted Apple Syrup**
0.25 oz Amontillado Sherry
1 egg white
2 drops miso saline
Soda water (to top)
Dry shake all ingredients (except soda) without ice to emulsify the egg white. Add ice and wet shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled highball glass or fizz glass. Top with soda and allow the foam to settle and rise.
Optional garnish: banana marshmallow.
*Spiced Banana Bread Syrup
Yields approximately 10 oz
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 split vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla paste)
1 tsp allspice berries
3–4 whole cloves
0.5 oz overproof rum (for deglazing)
Roast sliced bananas at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, until golden and soft. In a saucepan, combine water and brown sugar and bring to a light simmer. Add roasted bananas and all spices. Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, stirring and mashing the bananas. Deglaze the mixture with overproof rum. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, and strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Once cooled, bottle and refrigerate. Use within 1–2 weeks.
**Acid-Adjusted Apple Syrup
1500 ml fresh-pressed apple juice
750 g granulated sugar
30 g citric acid
15 g malic acid
In a large container, combine the apple juice and sugar. Stir until fully dissolved. Add citric and malic acids, whisking thoroughly to integrate. Taste and adjust for balance—this syrup should be tart and clean, with a crisp apple finish. Store in a sterilized bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
