Benjamin Franklin's Orange Shrub

[evildrakey]

The recipe was found in Benjamin Franklin's papers and dates to 1750. The original sits in the Library of Congress I believe...

The original Recipe: To a Gallon of Rum two Quarts of Orange Juice and two pound of Sugar-dissolve the Sugar in the Juice before you mix it with the Rum -put all together in a Cask & shake it well-let it stand 3- or 4-Weeks & it will be very fine & fit for Bottlingwhen you have Bottled off the fine pass the thick thro' a Philtring paper put into a Funnell-that not a drop may be lost. To obtain the flavour of the Orange Peel paire a few Oranges & put it in Rum for twelve hours-& put that Rum into the Cask with the other-For Punch thought better without the Peel.

My Version:

5 litres spirit @ 40%vol with Navy dark rum essence (for 2.25 litres according to the pack),
OR
5 litres of lightish flavoured Rum to your own recipe,

Juice of 8 seville oranges, Zest of 3 seville oranges (Seville oranges are the bitter oranges than go on sale around Octoberish and are used for Scotch marmalade mainly)
32 grams vanilla bean paste (I find it gives a subtle vanillin note that normally comes with oak aging),
500 grams golden syrup,
100 grams Tennessee Bourbon Oak chips (toasted).

Add to a wide mouthed glass jar for 3 months to develop (yes, I know this is a long time on oak)
Strain, filter, and bottle...

Preliminary tastings amongst about a dozen of us has been very positive, with the final product tasting like a rum based Grand Marnier, with it being more subtle on the orange note than Grand Marnier, but very tasty and smooth. Over crushed ice, it's very nice as well as being served straight up with a twist of lime. We haven't played with it much in cocktails yet, but I'm liking it straight up frankly...