Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links. We do receive a small commission when you click on our links and make a purchase (at no extra cost to you). We always give our honest opinions, and these opinions are fully our own. See our Disclaimers →
St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
About St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is produced by Purkhart, an Austria-based company that produces a variety of liqueurs and other spirits. Originally founded in 1932, Purkhart produces their spirits at the Purkhart Distillery in Steyr, Austria. This particular liqueur has its origins in Jamaica, and is also called Pimento Dram, as Pimento is the original name for the allspice berry in that region. St. Elizabeth uses pot-stilled rum sourced from Jamaica as it’s base, and is produced using the rum and allspice berries. Purkhart makes a point to claim that St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is “traditionally prepared”, which means it is likely infused with sugar as well (though this is not specified).
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 22.5%
❖ Distillery: Purkhart
❖ Aging: Unspecified (base rum)
❖ Price Point: Moderate
Tasting Notes
Palate:
❖ clove
❖ nutmeg
❖ cinnamon
❖ pepper
My Tasting notes
As I began to pick out the nose notes of this liqueur, I could smell the allspice berries right away. The familiar and sweet aroma was prominent, and I couldn’t smell the strength of the alcohol at all. I could sense that it was very smooth.
During my first sip, sweetness came first, with the mellow taste of alcohol coming last as an aftertaste. It felt like a quick burst towards the back of my throat. By my third sip, the spice notes began to come out more clearly. I started to feel a slight tingle on my tongue as I picked out the clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon notes one by one. All in all, it was a pleasant experience drinking St. Elizabeth straight.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I decided to try the Lion’s Tail. This is a classic drink that many people associate with Allspice Dram. Personally, however, this was my first time making it!
❖ 2 oz Bourbon
❖ 1/2 oz Allspice Dram
❖ 1/2 oz lime juice
❖ 1 tsp simple syrup
❖ 2 dashes angostura bitters
- Add ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
- Strain into a cocktail glass.
Inside of a cocktail, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is very delicious. Interestingly, I found that the lime juice really brought out the berry essence of the Allspice. The spice notes are so prominent in Allspice that I often forget that it’s technically a berry! However, in the Lion’s Tail I could really make out the berry notes. After a few sips, a sense of creaminess started to come out – almost like the flavor of a tangy icing or glaze. The spice notes took a backseat at first, but gradually became more prominent as I continued to drink my cocktail. There was a nice warmth in my throat and chest that helped make the experience very pleasant and relaxing.
Bottom Line
RATING: 5/5
Overall, this bottle of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is one of my favorite liqueurs. The quality is pretty much on par with the price, and the allspice notes are surprisingly versatile in cocktails. This is a great product to have on hand in order to spice up many different types of drinks from winter to tropical.
It’s very smooth, so the allspice gets to shine. The flavor also goes a really long way, so you really only need about 1/4oz of this liqueur for most cocktail recipes. Even though it’s more moderately priced, you probably won’t go through it as fast as some other spirits.
The only thing that was disappointing was finding out that St. Elizabeth is owned by an Austrian company rather than a Caribbean-based company. That said, it was not too surprising. It’s hard to hold one company accountable for something that is pretty much standard in the industry. I’ll be keeping an eye out for future brands of Pimento Dram that are Jamaican-owned. But for now, St. Elizabeth is one of the best!
As always, drink responsibly.
Not Quite what you're looking for?
SEE OUR OTHER LIQUEUR REVIEWS:
JOIN THE NEWSLETTER!
Get more from Let’s Drink It! by subscribing to our monthly email newsletter