Drink In History: Ti’Punch

By Victoria Cece

Ti’ Punch – The Caribbean Tradition That’s Missing From Your Bar

Traditional Caribbean Ti'Punch

Traditional Caribbean Ti’Punch is a cocktail that leaves you feeling like you’re on a white sandy beach, gazing at crystal blue waters. You may be thinking: I could really use a mai tai right now. Or, perhaps a mojito. But, there’s a tropical drink that’s been missing from your life. Two words: Ti’ Punch. 

A few years ago, I took a whimsical trip to Guadaloupe, an archipelago in the French West Indies, just North of Dominica and Martinique. I had no idea what to expect, really. To be a fish out of water was exciting. I barely spoke French. All I knew was that there were gorgeous Caribbean blue waters, volcanic sand beaches, and a fascinating Creole culture to explore. Did I mention my Norwegian Airways ticket was only 80 bucks? 

Maybe a day or two after landing in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe’s capital, I quickly learned that Guadeloupeans had a high standard for hospitality, a standard that involves rhum.  No matter what part of Guadaloupe you ventured to, you would probably find a rhum beverage in front of you, whether you ordered it or not. 

The most popular of those beverages is Ti’ Punch, a delicious cocktail made of 3 simple ingredients: rhum agricole, cane sugar, and lime. You can find this cocktail all over the French West Indies. In fact, Ti’ Punch is the national cocktail of Martinique. 

Let’s get one thing straight – Ti’ Punch has nothing to do with teaas our English-speaking brains might think. The Ti is Creole French for petit, or small. So, Ti’ Punch translates to ‘small rhum punch.’ Now, Ti’ Punch is nothing like the ultra-sweet rum punch you may be thinking of, not anything like it at all… 

 

Ti’ Punch isn’t just a cocktail – it is a tradition 

Ti’ Punch is an entire experience. Presenting a bottle of local rhum agricole, with a side of cane sugar and fresh cut limes is the way Guadeloupeans warmly greet guests. At the various restaurants, homes, and BnBs I visited, more often than not I was presented with this trinity of ingredients. Not in a glass, but laid out separately, waiting for you to play bartender. 

It was such a joyful experience to muddle together the cane sugar and lime, and mix it all with the rhum. It made you feel right at home. And, that’s the exact purpose of Ti’ Punch. 

Of course, you can find Ti’ Punch served as a cocktail as well. It is almost always served neat to avoid dilluting the pure flavors of the rhum. But, when the island sun is too hot to handle, don’t be surprised if your Ti’ Punch is served with ice. 

Experiencing Ti’ Punch is a pathway to understanding the diversity of rhum in Guadeloupe, as well as the French West Indies. The type of rhum added to Ti’ Punch gives the drink its very own identity.  

In Guadeloupe and Martinique, rhum agricole is the go-to spirit in Ti’ Punch. Unlike most rums, which are made from molasses, rhum agricole comes from freshly-pressed sugar cane juice, a process very unique to the French West Indies. This makes rhum agricole pure, dry, and ridiculously easy to drink. I’m telling you, I drank rhum agricole quite often on my trip and my hangovers were minimal. Every morning, I felt refreshed while sipping delicious Guadeloupean coffee in a hammock, very prepared in case another Ti’ Punch came my way (and it did…) 

 

The Rhums of Guadeloupe 

Guadeloupe is also home to delicious rhum agricole that often don’t get as much attention. I will tell you – they deserve all the attention. Guadeloupe’s islands have a dazzling and diversified terroir, bestowing a unique character to every rhum agricole. 

You can’t talk about Guadeloupean rhum or sugar cane production without mentioning Maria-Galante. This little pancake-shaped island is said to be the birthplace of Ti’ Punch. The drink was created to celebrate the French abolition of slavery on April 27th, 1848.  

Maria Galante is home to 3 different distilleries within just 61 square miles. That’s the most distilleries per square mile, anywhere. Right off the ferry, you can visit distilleries with historic rhum making traditions. The oldest distillery is Père Labat, producing rhum agricole since 1863. There is also Bielle as well as Habitation Bellevue, the first eco-friendly distillery in all of Guadeloupe. 

Back on ‘mainland,’ which is made up of the two large islands, Grande Terre and Basse Terre, you will find the majority of rhum production. Damoiseau is the most common Guadeloupean rhum agricole distillery. I greeted its blue and red label many afternoons and evenings on my trip. This distillery is found in Grande Terre, an island graced with breathtaking limestone cliffs. The island’s elevation and limestone-rich sandy soil allow sugar cane to reach it’s ripest potential. This gives Damoiseau’s young and aged rhum a tropical fruit character that adds a little more boldness to your Ti’ Punch.  

On the other side of Guadaloupe lays Basse Terre and its popular distillery Rhum Bologne. There, sugar cane grows not far from the sea, at the edges of La Grande Soufriere, Guadeloupe’s active volcano. Many believe that the volcanic soil and sea are behind Rhum Bologne’s freshness and complex character of citrus, spice, and earth. All these flavors make this rhum agricole very easy to sip on. 

No matter what rhum agricole you choose, Ti’ Punch won’t let you down. It makes for the perfect greeting, ice breaker, or even a nightcap. It is a true symbol of Guadaloupe and Martinique’s hospitality, one that can lend a smile and a little zest to anyone’s life. So, when in doubt, make yourself a Ti’ Punch. In seconds, you’ll be somewhere laying beneath the palms, thousands of miles away. 

 

Recipe for Traditional Caribbean Ti’ Punch 

 

Makes 1 Traditional Caribbean Ti’ Punch 

Ingredients:  

  • 2 oz of rhum agricole 
  • 3 tablespoons of cane sugar or cane syrup 
  • 1 thick lime wedge

Method: 

  • Squeeze lime juice into glass and add in crushed lime wedge. 
  • Add in cane syrup or cane sugar. Muddle it with the lime 
  • Pour in rhum and mix together.* 
  • Serve with lime wedge. 

Now you can add ice if desired.

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