The Treacle No.1 is an Outdated Usual riff with a base of darkish rum, mixed with easy syrup, fragrant bitters, and an apple cider float.
This straightforward cocktail got here collectively in Nineteen Nineties London, care of the late Dick Bradsell, the influential bartender behind trendy basic creations just like the Espresso Martini and the Bramble. Basically a rum Old Fashioned with an apple cider float, the Treacle No.1 (generally simply known as the Treacle) is one among Bradsell’s lesser-known however equally scrumptious creations.
Many know treacle as a candy syrup, a byproduct of the sugar-making course of, principally offered within the UK and British colonies. Much like molasses, this sweetener is commonly utilized in baking — usually featured in sticky toffee pudding recipes — and is available in mild (often known as golden syrup) and black varieties.
It is thought that Bradsell created this drink to copy the distinctively candy, wealthy, and fragrant qualities discovered on this favourite British staple.
What makes the Treacle No. 1 work
The Outdated Usual is a favourite basic for bartenders to riff on, with endless varieties, from Phil Ward’s agave-rich Oaxaca Old Fashioned to gin variations.
This straightforward plug-and-play course of has made the three-ingredient cocktail a go-to for bartenders searching for to characteristic a selected spirit in a well-recognized template.
It’s broadly believed that Bradsell’s most well-liked rum for the Treacle No. 1 was Myers’s Authentic Darkish Jamaican Rum, which has a particular Jamaican “funk” together with wealthy molasses, toffee and vanilla traits.
This recipe requires a half-ounce of straightforward syrup, which may be diminished to style relying on the sweetness degree of the apple cider used. Although Bradsell initially used a transparent, candy apple juice in his rendition, this interpretation employs an unfiltered, much less candy cider. The result’s a barely tarter, fresh-pressed apple taste that helps to brighten the burnt caramel-like qualities within the rum.
Angostura bitters and a big orange twist garnish lend citrus aromatics, additional balancing the richness of the Treacle.