Planter's Punch
Ingredients
- Dark Rum 1 part
- Orgeat syrup 1/2 part
- Orange juice 2 parts
- Pineapple juice 1 part
Instructions
Pour all ingredients, except the bitters, into shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Pour into large glass, filled with ice. Add Angostura bitters, "on top". Garnish with cocktail cherry and pineapple.
Planter's Punch is a classic Caribbean rum punch combining dark rum with orgeat syrup, orange juice, and pineapple juice, creating a rich tropical drink with layers of fruit sweetness and rum depth. An IBA Unforgettable, it represents one of the oldest and most enduring cocktail traditions of the Caribbean and has inspired countless variations across the region. The orgeat syrup adds a distinctive almond sweetness that distinguishes it from simpler rum punches.
History & Origins
Planter's Punch is one of the oldest known cocktails associated with Caribbean rum culture, with some references appearing as early as the 1870s in publications such as the New York Times. Its origins are associated with the planter class of Jamaica and other Caribbean colonies, who blended local rum with fruit juices and sweeteners. The IBA includes it in its Unforgettables category, acknowledging its fundamental role in cocktail history.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Rich tropical fruit — orange and pineapple — with dark rum's molasses depth and a sweet almond note from the orgeat. Palate: Full-bodied and lush with dark rum providing caramel and molasses warmth, orange and pineapple juices delivering tropical sweetness and acidity, and orgeat's almond flavour adding an unusual and distinctive depth. Finish: Warm, tropical, and sweet with a lingering rum and almond character.
Pro Tip
Float a splash of dark rum on top of the finished drink just before serving to provide an initial aroma of pure rum that evolves into the tropical fruit cocktail as the layers blend.
Techniques Used
Variations
Embed on your site — CocktailFYI
Add the widget to any webpage using a script tag.
<div data-cocktailfyi="recipe" data-slug="planters-punch"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/cocktailfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>Embed using a standard iframe — works in any CMS.
<iframe src="https://cocktailfyi.com/iframe/recipe/planters-punch/" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="CocktailFYI recipe widget"></iframe>Paste the URL into WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-aware editor.
https://cocktailfyi.com/recipes/planters-punch/Add a badge linking back to CocktailFYI.
<a href="https://cocktailfyi.com/recipes/planters-punch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
<img src="https://cocktailfyi.com/badge/site.svg" alt="CocktailFYI" height="20">
</a>
Use the CocktailFYI WordPress plugin shortcode.
[drinkfyi-recipe site="cocktailfyi" slug="planters-punch"]Use as a native HTML custom element in modern browsers.
<cocktailfyi-recipe slug="planters-punch" theme="light"></cocktailfyi-recipe>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/cocktailfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>Powered by CocktailFYI
Docs →