Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Planter’s Punch

Dark rum with citrus, a little grenadine and bitters — the original Jamaican punch. “One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.”

Preparation~3 minEasyStrengthMediumabout 14% ABVMethodShaken11 guided stepsIngredients6Hurricane glass (or tall glass)

Tropical

In the glassDark rum · Orange juice · Pineapple juice · Fresh lime juice · Grenadine · +1 more

See exact amounts

Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear hurricane glass with a tall curved bowl, flared rim and short stem. — Serving glassHurricane glass

Set up before you pour

Use a hurricane glass.

The tall curved bowl holds crushed ice and a generous tropical serve while leaving room for garnish.

Standard size: 440 ml15 oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a highball or any tall glass with enough capacity.

Tools to set out

cocktail shaker
strainer (or a small sieve)
jigger or measuring spoon

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Scale to your hurricane glass (or tall glass)We’ll remember this glass size.

Dark rum60 ml
Orange juice45 ml
Pineapple juice45 ml
Fresh lime juice15 ml
Grenadine8 ml
Angostura bitters2 dashes

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Measure into the shaker
Pour 60 ml dark rum into your shaker
- Dark rum
02
Measure into the shaker
Add 45 ml orange juice
- Orange juice
03
Measure into the shaker
Add 45 ml pineapple juice
- Pineapple juice
04
Measure into the shaker
Add 15 ml fresh lime juice
- Fresh lime juice
05
Measure into the shaker
Add 8 ml grenadine
- Grenadine
06
Measure into the shaker
Add 2 dashes Angostura
- Angostura bitters
07
Ice the shaker
Fill the shaker with ice
Why it mattersFill it right up — more ice chills faster with less watering down.
08
Seal and shake
Seal and shake hard
Why it mattersCold hands mean it’s working. Shake until the tin frosts over.
09
Ice the glass
Fill your glass with fresh ice
10
Strain cleanly
Strain into your glass
Why it mattersPour through the strainer so the spent shaker ice stays behind.
11
Finish the drink
Finish it — add an orange slice and a cocktail cherry

Know your drink

About the Planter’s Punch

A Daiquiri, minty rum highball and dark rum rocks drink at a sunset terrace bar.

One sour, two sweet

The old Jamaican rhyme runs one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak, and it describes a punch built on lime, sugar, rum and water rather than juice. This version takes a different route. The sweetness comes from fruit instead of syrup and the water is replaced by orange and pineapple, which is why it drinks softer than the original formula.

A float of overproof dark rum on top is traditional in a lot of bars and worth trying. Pour it gently over the back of a spoon so it sits rather than mixes, and the first mouthful arrives much stronger than the last. If you do that, keep the base rum modest or the drink gets away from you.

Common questions

Planter’s Punch FAQ

Which rum actually belongs in this?

A Jamaican pot-still rum, if you can find one. The heavy banana and overripe-fruit character that makes it hard to drink neat is exactly what stands up to a glass of juice. Plain dark rum works but goes quiet fast, and much of it is light rum with caramel added.

Mine tastes like fruit punch. What went wrong?

Almost always too little lime and too much grenadine. The 15 ml of lime is not decoration; it is the only thing cutting three sweet elements. Push it to 20 ml, drop the grenadine to a teaspoon, and add two dashes of Angostura over the top.

Is supermarket grenadine the same thing?

Rarely. Real grenadine is pomegranate and sugar, sometimes with a little orange flower water. Most bottles on the shelf are corn syrup, citric acid and red dye, which bring color and sweetness but no fruit. Making your own from pomegranate juice takes about five minutes.

Can I scale it up for a pitcher?

It batches well, since nothing here is carbonated. Multiply everything, mix it in a jug and refrigerate for up to a day, then shake individual servings over ice. Add the lime juice as late as you reasonably can. It dulls after a few hours.

What ingredients are in a Planter’s Punch?

A classic Planter’s Punch calls for 60 ml (2 oz) Dark rum, 45 ml (1.5 oz) Orange juice, 45 ml (1.5 oz) Pineapple juice, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Fresh lime juice, 8 ml (0.25 oz) Grenadine, 2 dashes Angostura Angostura bitters. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Planter’s Punch?

A standard Planter’s Punch is roughly 14% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.

Is a Planter’s Punch shaken or stirred?

A Planter’s Punch is shaken — the rule of thumb is to shake anything with citrus juice. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.

Sharpen the technique