These two great tastes are crazy good together
When you think “tropical” and “nut,” where does your mind go? Ours leans heavily toward coconuts and macadamias — not pecans, of all things. Pecans are for pies, right? Sort of a fall-and-winter nut?
Well, new stuff has come to light.
Like the time-honored yet odd-seeming pairing of Maple Bacon Proof Syrup with tequila, pecan plus rum in cocktail form caught us by surprise at first. We've had them together in pies, in candied pecans, and the like, but in a cocktail with fruit juices? Ah, no. And then we took a sip. For science.
Stock note: Pecan Proof Syrup is out of stock as of this week. The pairing below still holds up with a different nut in the bottle — swap in Black Walnut, which brings the same earthy, roasted depth to rum and tropical fruit. See what else is on the shelf in the old fashioned syrup collection.
Turns out, a nut-forward Proof Syrup is delicious with rum, and even more delicious with rum and fruit. In daiquiris, mai tais, and more, the subtle bitterness of toasted nuts and the molasses earthiness of rum make sweet, beautiful deliciousness together. We surely haven't covered all of the possibilities here, but we gave these four cocktails a thorough testing and found them delicious.
Pecan Daiquiri (make it with Black Walnut)
- ½ oz Black Walnut Proof Syrup
- 2 oz Aged Rum
- ¾ oz Lime Juice
- ½ oz Dry Curacao
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice; shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with lime wheel. Full build and background in our Pecan Daiquiri post.
Pecan Apple Sour (make it with Black Walnut)
- 1/2 oz Black Walnut Proof Syrup
- 1 oz Rum
- ½ oz Lime Juice
- 4 oz Hard Cider
Pour Proof Syrup, rum, and lime juice into a shaker with ice; shake until chilled. Strain into an ice-filled Collins or double Old Fashioned glass and top with hard cider. Give a quick stir — just a turn or two with a barspoon — and garnish with lime wheel.
Proof Colada
- ½ oz Black Walnut Proof Syrup
- 1 ½ oz Coconut Rum
- ½ oz Banana Liqueur
- 1 ½ oz Pineapple Juice
- ½ oz Coconut Cream
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice; shake hard until chilled and somewhat frothy. Strain into an ice-filled poco grande glass and garnish with pineapple spear.
Proof Mai Tai
- ½ oz Black Walnut Proof Syrup
- 1 ½ oz Pineapple Rum
- 1 oz Dark Rum
- ½ oz Orange Curacao
- 1 oz Lime Juice
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice; shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass and garnish with lime wheel.
Want more ways to use the bottle? We rounded up five in Black Walnut cocktails beyond the Old Fashioned, or browse the full range of Proof Syrup flavors to see what's in stock today.