On paper, the Seersucker cocktail is an odd mishmash of flavors: muddled strawberry, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice, and white rum. But when combined, the coral-hued highball is delicious, bright, slightly tart, and juicy sweet, with a lingering warm, woodsy spice.
This minimalist, tropical-adjacent cocktail, with a simple build of just four ingredients, diverges from the layered, multi-ingredient drinks that bartender Brian Miller is known for, especially while running the bar program at The Polynesian, a short-lived, tiki-themed oasis in New York City’s Times Square.
In 2005, Miller was part of the opening staff at Audrey Saunders’ pioneering New York City cocktail bar Pegu Club. Two years later, as head bartender, Miller helped to build out New York City’s Death & Co to become one of the most critically recognized cocktail bars in the world. It was here that Miller developed the recipe for the Seersucker cocktail.
Why the Seersucker cocktail works
Flor de Caña’s white rum, an aged bottling from Nicaragua, and a bartender favorite, was the original base spirit of the Seersucker cocktail. Light-bodied, with notes of vanilla, citrus, and sweet almonds, the 4-year-old rum has a crisp, dry finish. Another quality white rum can be used in its place, however.
Cinnamon syrup combined with fresh strawberry flavors creates a warm, spiced fruit quality, reminiscent of a baked fruit tart. A generous calling of freshly squeezed lemon juice contributes an acidic balance to the syrup and boosts the crisp brightness of the white rum.
Aside from the cinnamon syrup prep, the Seersucker cocktail comes together rather effortlessly. Luckily, the syrup recipe is an easy one and can be used for a variety of cocktails, including the Orange-Cinnamon Amaro Spritz or Cinnamon Old Fashioned, and even coffee drinks, such as the Gingerbread Latte.
