Cinnamon Cocktails 3 Ways!

Three cinnamon-forward cocktails from The Educated Barfly: the Gunmetal Blue (mezcal, blue curaçao, peach liqueur), the Spice Trade (gin, basil, cinnamon syrup), and the Knickerbocker (rum, raspberry, lime). All use a house cinnamon syrup made by blending and infusing for 24 hours for maximum flavour.

smart_display Published 2026-04-02 download Extracted 2026-04-21

10m Prep

5m Cook

15m Total

3 Servings

cocktail cinnamon mezcal gin rum basil raspberry american 3-ways shaken citrus liqueur

Ingredients

Gun Metal Blue

7.5 ml cinnamon syrup (house-made: blend Ceylon cinnamon sticks with simple syrup and infuse 24 hours)
22 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
7.5 ml peach liqueur
15 ml blue curaçao
45 ml mezcal (Vida mezcal recommended)
for garnish orange coin (cut with a bit of pith; express oils over drink then float on top)

Knickerbocker

30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
15 ml cinnamon syrup (house-made: blend Ceylon cinnamon sticks with simple syrup and infuse 24 hours)
15 ml raspberry syrup (house-made: 30g freeze-dried raspberries dissolved in 200ml simple syrup)
7.5 ml Creole Shrubb (orange liqueur based in rhum agricole)
22 ml aged overproof Jamaican rum
22 ml light rum blend
to fill pebble ice (small amount for whip shake; more to fill glass)
for garnish freeze-dried raspberries (kept vacuum-sealed for freshness)

Spice Trade

22 ml lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
22 ml cinnamon syrup (house-made: blend Ceylon cinnamon sticks with simple syrup and infuse 24 hours)
60 ml gin
5 leaves fresh basil leaves (lightly muddled)
for garnish basil leaf (smack between palms to release aroma then place on top)

Steps

Gun Metal Blue

1

Gun Metal Blue: Combine 22ml lime juice, 7.5ml peach liqueur, 15ml blue curaçao, 7.5ml cinnamon syrup, and 45ml mezcal (Vida recommended) in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Tip: Always add the least expensive ingredients first — citrus before spirits.

~2 min
2

Shake the Gun Metal Blue hard and strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.

~1 min
3

Garnish the Gun Metal Blue: cut a coin of orange peel with a little pith (so there's enough oil), express the oils over the surface of the drink, then float the coin on top.

Tip: Don't cut the coin too thin or you won't extract enough citrus oils from the peel.

~1 min

Knickerbocker

1

Knickerbocker: Combine 30ml lime juice, 15ml cinnamon syrup, 15ml raspberry syrup, 7.5ml Creole Shrubb, 22ml aged overproof Jamaican rum, and 22ml light rum blend in a shaker.

Tip: The Creole Shrubb is an orange liqueur based in rhum agricole — it adds an orange twinge and helps balance sweetness.

~2 min
2

Add a small amount of pebble ice to the shaker and whip shake until the ice is completely melted. This adds a bit of chill and dilution before the cocktail goes over more ice.

Tip: Don't over-shake since the cocktail will sit on a bed of pebble ice and continue to dilute. The whip shake just starts the process.

~1 min
3

Dump the shaker into a rocks glass packed with pebble ice — don't be afraid to pack it in. Add a snow cap of extra crushed ice on top. Garnish generously with freeze-dried raspberries.

Tip: Freeze-dried raspberries kept vacuum-sealed stay fresh for a month or more and make a beautiful garnish for a 'fancy cocktail' presentation.

~1 min

Prep

1

Make the cinnamon syrup in advance: blend Ceylon cinnamon sticks with simple syrup in a blender and let infuse for 24 hours. Strain before using. This produces a super-concentrated cinnamon syrup used in all three cocktails.

Tip: Ceylon (also called 'true') cinnamon gives a lighter, more delicate flavour than cassia cinnamon. The 24-hour infusion produces a much more cinnamony result than a quick stovetop method.

Spice Trade

1

Spice Trade: Add 5–6 fresh basil leaves to the shaker. Add 22ml lemon juice, 22ml cinnamon syrup, and 60ml gin.

Tip: Use more basil leaves for a more herbal flavour, fewer for a more subtle result.

~2 min
2

Lightly muddle the basil leaves — press gently to express their oils without shredding. Then add ice to the large tin and shake.

Tip: Don't over-muddle the basil; it will shred further during the shake and you'll double-strain anyway. A gentle press is enough.

~1 min
3

Double strain the Spice Trade into a chilled coupe or pony glass. Garnish with a fresh basil leaf, slapped between the palms first to release its aroma.

~1 min

Nutrition (per serving)

180

Calories

18g

Carbs

Cultural Context

The Gunmetal Blue was created by Nicholas Bennett and Mike Shane at Porch Light Bar around 2015. The Spice Trade was created by Los Angeles bartender Nathan Howard. The Knickerbocker is a classic cocktail dating back to the 1840s–1850s, named after Dutch settlers who rolled their knickers to the knee; it was immortalised in Jerry Thomas' 'How to Mix Drinks' in 1862 and classified as a 'fancy cocktail' — drinks gussied up with seasonal fruits, closely related to the cobbler.