A frozen rum cocktail plucked from the Cafe Plaza in Maracaibo, Venuezuela, the Ron Habanero Dubonnet Helado appeared in documentarian Charles Baker’s 1951 The South American Gentleman’s Companion. But while the original calls for Cuban-style rum, McKinley prefers Jamaican overproof to give the drink a heightened complexity. She also swaps Baker’s original maraschino spec for banana liqueur. That creates a beguiling conversation between the warmth of Dubonnet and the aromatics of the tropical fruit in this frappé-style cocktail. “The dry baking spice of the Dubonnet comes through in this drink and has a drying quality,” McKinley says.
Dubonnet Frappé
Julia McKinley, Lost Lake | Chicago

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounce Dubonnet Rouge
- 3/4 ounce Jamaican overproof white rum
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce grenadine
- 1/4 ounce banana liqueur
- 1 teaspoon dry sugar
- 1 1/2 cups crushed ice
Garnish: orange zest
Directions
- Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve in a coupe.
- Garnish with orange zest.