Swamp Juice Recipe

Chill glass

Place a highball or large rocks glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink so it stays cold.

Prepare glass

Discard ice water (if used) and fill the glass halfway with crushed ice. Reserve a little crushed ice for topping.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the white rum (2 oz), green chartreuse (0.5 oz), midori (0.5 oz), fresh lime juice (0.75 oz), pineapple juice (2 oz), orange juice (1 oz) and simple syrup (0.5 tsp).

Add one dash of angostura bitters to the shaker to add aromatic depth. If you want a slightly smokier swamp tone, add a tiny pinch of activated charcoal or black edible food gel to the shaker; it will darken the color. Note: charcoal may affect absorption of some medicines — use edible gel or skip if concerned.

Cap the shaker and shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until the outside of the shaker is icy cold and well mixed.

Strain the mixture over the prepared glass filled halfway with crushed ice. Leave space for soda and a top layer of crushed ice.

Top the drink with 2 oz club soda (or lemon-lime soda for a sweeter version). Gently stir once with a bar spoon to integrate the soda without losing carbonation.

Add remaining crushed ice to mound slightly above the rim to create a swampy, textured surface.

Place a fresh mint sprig into the crushed ice, stem down, and slap the mint between your palms once before garnishing to release oils and aroma.

Float a lime wheel on the top or set it on the rim. If you used black edible gel or charcoal, drag a toothpick through the top of the ice to create a marbled 'swamp' effect by pulling a tiny bit of dark pigment outward.

Serve immediately with a short straw and instruct guests to stir slightly before sipping to blend layers.