Bottled Usquaebach Punch

By ltrodrigu

LEFT BOTTLE. At the Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog in Manhattan, bartender-owner Jack McGarry plumbs the depths of pre-Prohibition cocktail culture. Punch was wildly popular as a celebratory beverage as early as the 18th century; this whisky-and-tea-based, lemon-and-nutmeg-laced recipe, which takes its name from the Gaelic word for whiskey, comes from an English text published in 1869. Mr. McGarry keeps several types of bottled punch on the premises at all times. You can purchase the Dead Rabbit Orinoco Bitters at deadrabbitnyc.com, and the Pimento Dram at drinkupny.com.

Ingredients

• zest of 4 lemons
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/3 cups boiling English breakfast tea
• 1 tablespoon Pimento Dram or Angostura bitters
• 1 1/3 cups Jameson Irish Whiskey
• 6 dashes Dead Rabbit Orinoco Bitters or Angostura bitters
• 1/2 a nutmeg, grated

Details

Servings 750
Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar. Muddle until all oil from zest has been extracted and has colored sugar, then add lemon juice and English breakfast tea. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Add Pimento Dram or Angostura bitters, Jameson Irish Whiskey and Dead Rabbit Orinoco Bitters or Angostura bitters. Add nutmeg.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a 750-ml bottle and seal immediately. Store in refrigerator up to three weeks.