Thank you to our accomplished barman and performer, Austin Skiles, for this wonderful pop culture reference. Come pick out a Thermos of Hot Rum Punch for you and your friends...
Hot Rum Punch
Vintage Thermoses full of Hot Rum Punch available for $35. Serves 5.
What's better than walking in off a wet and chilly street to the warm embracing arms of a hot cocktail? Maybe just the warm embracing arms of a hot rum cocktail. We are happy to be partnering with the fine folks at Bacardi USA to bring you delicious aged rum hot punches in single serve and large formats all winter long. Large format punches can serve up to five people and stay warm in vintage Thermoses. Share them with a group at a table or outside near the fire place if it's not too bad out there. In case you're interested, here is a little excerpt from an interview that Imbibe Magazine did with one of the world's most foremost experts on punch, David Wondrich:
Your fifth book, Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Punch Bowl is explores the history of punch. In your research, what surprised you most about the topic?
I was surprised to learn that there were no spirits-based mixed drinks before punch. So in that respect it was definitely at the forefront of the concept of a mixed drink. Also, I was shocked to learn that the English were not among the first to drink spirits, but the last. That really blew my mind because I know a lot of English people and boy, do they drink spirits.
Do you think we’re on the verge of a full-fledged punch revival?
I think we’re already in one to a degree. It’s sort of like the cocktail was maybe 15 years ago. There are some wonderful people making punch, but it’s still kind of settling in. Right now I see a lot of punches that are a little too fancy and experimental, which makes them hard to drink throughout the night. But I think that will change as people make more of it, and as their tastes pare down.
What do you think is the appeal of punch?
The conviviality—a punch is an instant party. It’s so much better than laying out a table full of booze and telling people to mix their own drinks, or for you to have to do it for them. I mean, it’s wonderful to play bartender at your own party for about 20 minutes, but when you’re making drinks, you don’t really get to participate in your own party. With punch, you can be a full-scale host, which is what I like.
For the full interview, please click here.