Green Swizzle

“The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy”, P. G. Wodehouse, 1924

1 part white rum

1 part absinthe

Dash of crème de menthe

1 sprig of fresh mint, for garnish

Place the rum and absinthe in a cocktail shaker, fill it two-thirds of the way with ice, and shake until chilled.

Strain over ice into a rocks glass and top with the crème de menthe.

Garnish with the sprig of mint and enjoy.

The man behind the counter, as kindly a bloke as I ever wish to meet, seemed to guess our requirements the moment we hove in view. Scarcely had our elbows touched the wood before he was leaping to and fro, bringing down a new bottle with each leap. A planter, apparently, does not consider he has had a drink unless it contains at least seven ingredients, and I’m not saying, mind you, that he isn’t right. The man behind the bar told us the things were called Green Swizzles; and, if ever I marry and have a son, Green Swizzle Wooster is the name that will go down on the register, in memory of the day his father’s life was saved at Wembley.

Bertie and his friend Biffy are bored at the British Empire Exhibition, and sneak off to a bar, where they encounter a wonderous new drink, the Green Swizzle. This heady elixir, a blend of rum, absinthe, and—usually—crème de menthe, must surely pack a punch, enough to save Bertie from dying of boredom, or so he claims.