When Olivia Stewart drove down during the pandemic from Manhattan to her family’s home in Pointe Coupée Parish, she planned on staying a few weeks. Now she is the president of the Oxbow Rum Distillery. “Well,” she chuckled, “it was not part of my plans at all.” Her family has been in the sugar business for five generations and started the distillery in 2016. “We knew we had something great,” she said. Oxbow’s production is unique among Louisiana rums. “We’re the only rum distillery in Louisiana that owns the entire process from cane to glass.” After she refined their recipes, Oxbow started winning international awards. Her next goal? Olivia hopes that one day Louisiana rum can be its own category, as distinct and respected as rums from other countries. “To be able to have a niche within American rum…of Louisiana sugar cane specifically, something that I’m so deeply rooted in…would be incredibly special.”
Oxbow Classic Daiquiri
2 ounces Oxbow Rhum Louisiane Agricole
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce raw cane sugar syrup (see recipe)
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Raw Cane Sugar Syrup
1 part raw cane sugar
2 parts white sugar
2 parts water
Bring all ingredients to a simmer over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Syrup keeps up to six weeks in the refrigerator.
NOTES:
- Raw sugar, available at Oxbow distillery, is far less processed than commercially available sugars, including brown sugar in the baking aisle. Demerara sugar is a good substitute.
- Rhum Louisiane is made from fresh cane juice and has a slightly brighter, lighter flavor than rums most people are familiar with. Swapping it with the Oxbow Small Batch White Rum made from high-grade molasses makes a warmer and sweeter cocktail. Alter your syrup measurements if needed. Both are delicious!
- If you still have a few ice chips in your drink after straining, don’t worry. They help keep the drink cold in Louisiana heat.
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