Ryan Casey’s take on the classic Champagne punch gets a dose of heat by way of ginger liqueur and habanero bitters. Add to that a generous hit of both whiskey and rum, and Casey’s is a thoroughly modern—and highly spirituous—addition to the punch canon.
“Hot” Apple Punch
Ryan Casey, The Dewberry | Charleston, SC
Ingredients
Yield: 3 quarts
- 2 cups aged rum, preferably Plantation 5 year
- 2 cups whiskey, preferably Virginia Black
- 2 cups ginger liqueur, preferably Domaine de Canton
- 2 cups apple juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 15 drops habanero bitters (see Editor's Note)
- 1 bottle Champagne, preferably Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial
Garnish: Granny Smith apple balls, lemon coins or rings, sliced habaneros
Directions
- In a punch bowl, combine all ingredients over a large block of ice.
- Garnish with Granny Smith apple balls, thin lemon coins or rings and sliced habaneros, to taste.
Editor's Note
Habanero Bitters:
1 habanero pepper, sliced into thin rounds
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
5 allspice berries
1 orange peel
Immerse all ingredients in a 750ml bottle of tequila. Allow the mixture to sit for three months before using.