Around my house, the Knickerbocker is a regular summer favorite. A very old drink, it was published in 1862 by Jerry Thomas and reappeared in books of the time until Harry Johnson’s 1888 manual. I have adapted the recipe here from Wondrich’s Imbibe! (Thomas) and Haigh’s Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails (Johnson). Quoting Wondrich, “With it’s rum and its lime juice, its syrups and liqueurs, the Knickerbocker is the spiritual progenitor of the Tiki drink. Think of it as an 1850’s Mai Tai–similar drink, different island.”
{ 1 comment }