I didn’t know much about the Corn ‘N’ Oil when I set out to write this. I couldn’t have even told you with complete certainty what was in it. But it has come up on occasion, mentioned by Tiki enthusiasts or purveyors of blackstrap rum, riffed on by enthusiastic bartenders, or admired on Instagram for its layered effect. So it certainly seemed like one to try.
The one thing I did know – or thought I knew – about the Corn ‘N’ Oil was that it’s made with a float of dark blackstrap rum on top, like an oil slick. I thought this was where the name came from – oil for the blackstrap, and corn for the yellowish mixture beneath. I began my research by looking up the recipe online. And I quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be a quick and simple post. None of the recipes I found were the same. In fact, they were wildly different, calling for different rums, different proportions, and different techniques. The layer of blackstrap that I thought was so characteristic of the drink was often missing. And, most bafflingly, some recipes had lime juice and some didn’t. That’s going to make quite a difference in flavor and texture.
In this way, the Corn ‘N’ Oil has a lot in common with the Ti’Punch, which I also wrote about recently. They both originate on a Caribbean island, where they were the favored drink of planters. They’re both made with rum, (usually) lime, and a sweetener. They both lack a definitive recipe, being largely a matter of personal preference. They even share the quirk of an apostrophe-shortened word in their names. It’s actually quite stunning, and a testament to the unique culture and products of their respective Caribbean islands, that they taste SO very different despite these similarities. You would never mistake one for another.
While the Ti’Punch hails from French Martinique, the Corn ‘N’ Oil comes to us by way of Barbados, which is part of the British Commonwealth. It originated as a planter’s drink, and was likely mixed up with little attention paid to exact amounts. It was made with rum, bitters, falernum, and possibly a squeeze of lime. (Falernum is a sweet, spiced rum liqueur made in Barbados. You may remember it from Tiki cocktails such as the Zombie, Jet Pilot, and Chartreuse Swizzle. John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum is the most common bottle you’ll see.) As this was Barbados, the rum used was almost certainly Barbados rum, not blackstrap. Barbados rum is generally a blend of pot and column still rums. (For reference, drier Spanish-style rums like Bacardi are usually made with a column still, whereas sweet and funky Jamaican rums like Appleton Estate use a pot still.) Blending these two distinct styles gives Bajan rum a depth and balance that makes it a great all-around rum, and a favorite of many rum enthusiasts.
There are four distilleries on Barbados, including Mount Gay (believed to be the oldest rum distillery in the Caribbean), the highly-respected Foursquare Distillery, and the West Indies Rum Distillery, which is owned by Maison Ferrand and makes rum for Plantation. Examples of Barbados rum that you might use in cocktails like the Corn ‘N’ Oil include Plantation 5-Year, Mount Gay Eclipse, Doorly’s XO, or The Real McCoy 5-Year.
But all this begs the question – where did the Corn ‘N’ Oil’s signature layer of blackstrap rum originate? Blackstrap is a very dark, rich, molasses-forward rum. While some of this character comes from the use of blackstrap molasses in distillation, most of it is due to added color and sweeteners, and thus many rums define themselves as “black rums” today. Common examples of black rums include Cruzan, Gosling’s, and Meyer’s. None of these are made on Barbados. So why would blackstrap be used in the Corn ‘N’ Oil?
The answer to the first question lies with Murray Stenson, a now-famous bartender who is responsible for resurrecting many classic cocktails at Seattle’s Zig Zag Café – most notably, the Last Word. But we have him to thank for the Corn ‘N’ Oil as well. However, instead of reaching for Barbados rum, he went with blackstrap. Because of Stenson, most Corn ‘N’ Oils made in the States use a rum like this, as well as a decent amount of lime juice.
As a result, you see wildly different styles of this drink. On the one hand, there’s the version that Martin Cate published in the Tiki Bible Smuggler’s Cove, made with Barbados rum (firmly specified), falernum, Angostura, and no lime at all. On the other, there’s the Americanized recipe you’ll find on big sites like Liquor.com and Punch, which calls for blackstrap and lime juice. I tried both of these, and they’re both delicious in their way. But Cate’s Corn ‘N’ Oil essentially drinks like a rum Old Fashioned, while Stenson’s version feels more unique. The deep molasses flavor of the blackstrap blends with the tropical lime and spiced falernum to create a Tiki drink packs quite a flavorful punch considering its simple formula.
The recipe I’ve decided to use here is a compromise, made with a split base of Barbados and blackstrap rum. I like it because it maintains the rich sweetness of the blackstrap (as well as that lovely layering!) without forgetting the Bajan roots of the cocktail. But when you go to mix up yours, feel free to change things up. This is clearly a cocktail without a single formula, and there’s plenty of room to get creative.
And finally, what about the name? No one actually knows where it comes from. The best theory is that it’s a badly Anglicized version of a now-forgotten Bajan phrase. It’s interesting that the drink now fits it so well. Perhaps that’s what Stenson was aiming for when he forever changed the formula.
Corn ‘N’ Oil
1 oz. Barbados rum
1 oz. blackstrap rum
½ oz – 1 oz. falernum*
½ oz. lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
In a rocks glass filled with crushed ice, combine Barbados rum, falernum, and lime juice. Stir briefly. Gently float the blackstrap rum on top. Dash bitters on top of this. Admire the layers but stir before drinking.
*I used The Bitter Truth Golden Falernum in my cocktails, which seems to be less sweet than John D. Taylor’s. I found that I needed a full ounce to make my cocktail balanced. A half ounce may suffice with Taylor’s – try it and tailor it to your taste.
I found much of my information on the Corn ‘N’ Oil at Birth Movies Death and Cold Glass. Punch and Vinepair were helpful regarding blackstrap rum.