Rum is one of the spirits industry’s most diverse categories and consumers are taking notice. With that, they are eager to expand their pallets and explore new flavor profiles the category has  to offer. A segment picking up major momentum, is that of Rhum Agricole (rum made from fresh pressed sugarcane juice, rather than molasses) and one of the best ways to explore this terroir-driven spirit is by bringing out its personality in a cocktail that will allow the true flavor profile to come forward. For Rhum Agricole, that means preparing yourself a Ti’Punch.

“I think the Ti’ Punch is one of the best ways to dip your toe into the pool of Rhum Agricole,” says Brian Miller, the head bartender at ZZ’s Clam Bar in New York City. “There’s no place for the rhum to hide in that drink. And it doesn’t get clouded by the other ingredients. It’s as close as you’re going to get to the true feeling for a rhum agricole without drinking it straight, which I do highly recommend.”

The Ti’ Punch is the unofficial national drink of the French Caribbean.”It is a part of daily life,” says Ben Jones, North America Director for Rhum Clément, “It’s not much different than espresso in Italy. Most people like it strong as a pick-me-up throughout the day.”

Ti ‘Punch has triumphantly paved its way across the United States. Across the nation bartenders have embraced the spirit’s vegetal and pungent characteristics and use it to create their own variations. In Florida, Madrina’s T.J. Palmieri swizzles hisbiscus syrup,  lime and passion fruit juices with a lot of crushed ice in his Maracuya Mistriss.