“Cocktail College” is brought to you by Zacapa Number 23 Rum. Listener, I want to talk to you about aging today, and specifically, about solera aging. You probably know it from the fine wines of Jerez, Spain, and you’ve probably noticed that it’s become something of a trend these days in distilled spirits. Well, for Zacapa Number 23 Rum, that’s always been the process: a blend of 6- to 23-year-old rums using the solera method. But not only that, what’s super interesting is that the aging takes place at some of the highest-altitude facilities in the world. They call it the house above the clouds, and when you start to get that combination, that unique combination of solera and altitude, what you end up with is an aged rum that is truly unique. Here’s what else is unique: The petate weaving on every single bottle is handwoven, and I’m a sucker for bottle design, so I wanted to point that out. But folks, that is Zacapa Rum Number 23. The bottle looks great. The liquid tastes great. And, it’s got a really unique story you can share with friends. Head to zacaparum.com right now to learn more.
Thanks to new and improved techniques for clarification, punches are back. But the creation of the punch, meaning the original, non-clarified punch, actually predated the creation of the cocktail itself. In fact, according to the Oxford Companion’s punch entry, written by Dave Wondrich, the punch is “the foundational drink of modern mixology and the first mixed drink based on spirits to gain global popularity.”
The name “punch” itself perhaps derives from the word “puncheon” — the barrels that were used by sailors to store batched alcohol, citrus juice, sugar, and spice concoctions on long voyages. Or perhaps it’s derived from the Hindi word “paanch,” which translates to five, coincidentally the same number of components that make up a punch: alcohol, sugar, citrus, spices, and milk for dilution. No matter where the name comes from, we’re always pleased when a punch lands in our glass — clarified or otherwise.
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It’s another historical deep dive today here on the “Cocktail College” Podcast as we cast our gaze hundreds of years in the past to explore punches. Helping us do so is Tural Hasanov, the director of Arts Club and Punch Room at the Tampa EDITION. Listen on to learn Tural’s top tips on all things sour, sweet, strong, and weak. Tune in for more.