A pillar of 19th-century American mixology, the Knickerbocker pairs aged rum with raspberry syrup, curaçao, and a squeeze of lime into a bright, fruit-laced sour. It was first set down in Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bar-Tender's Guide — the first cocktail book published in the United States — its name echoing the old Dutch New Yorkers immortalized by Washington Irving. Period bartenders shook it over shaved ice and crowned it with seasonal fruit and a straw.
Garnish: Orange Wheel
Shaken · Coupe · Crushed
add
Combine the aged rum, lime juice, raspberry syrup, and curaçao in a shaker.
shake
Add crushed ice and shake well until thoroughly chilled and the raspberry color blooms.
strain
Strain into a chilled coupe (or serve over fresh crushed ice in the period style).
garnish
Ornament with seasonal fruit — a slice of orange or fresh raspberries.