Did you know that juniper berries are not true berries? They are actually female seed cones produced by a juniper tree. Though commonly referred to as berries due to their appearance, the seed cones are often used as a spice, and it is what is known for giving gin its distinctive flavor. 

A while ago, we were curious what might happen when you combine the flavor impact of juniper berries with our silver Rum 44. Made from 100% demerara sugar, and charcoal filtered for smoothness, our Rum 44 is a great spirit for infusions and mixed cocktails as it allows the flavor of other ingredients to really shine through. We had a hunch that our Rum 44 infused with juniper berries would make a great gin substitute, and we were so very right. With that infusion, we created a riff on a Vesper using our infused Rum 44 instead of Gin.

Here is how we made a Rum 44 Botanical Infusion with juniper berries:

1. In a large Mason jar, combine 1 (750ml) bottle of Rum 44 and 21 grams of Juniper. Age the juniper berries with the Rum 44 for one week.  
2. After the week, strain the infused Rum 44 through a cheesecloth, and continue aging for an additional week with 3 grams of Coriander, 4 Cardamom pods, 1 gram of Fennel, 6 grams of dried Lemon Peel, and 6 grams of dried Orange Peel.
3. After that week, strain the infused Rum 44 once more through a cheesecloth. To really clean out the spices, we recommend straining 2-3x at this stage. 
4. Bottle the strained and infused Rum 44, then mix away!

Now that you have your Rum 44 Botanical Infusion, here is how to make a Mad Vesper: 

MAD VESPER
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of botanical-infused Rum 44
-1 oz. of Rum 44
-1/2 oz. of Lillet

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Serve up in a coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Another great (and simple) way to incorporate the flavor of juniper berries into a cocktail, is by making juniper bitters. To do this, you simply soak juniper berries in orange bitters overnight, then strain out the berries, and use the infused bitters as a bitter substitute that adds a bit of gin flavor, without the gin. 

Here are two Rum 44 cocktail recipes made using juniper bitters: 

RUM BIJOU
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail
-1 oz. of Rum 44
-1 oz. of Green Chartreuse
-1 oz. of Sweet Vermouth
-2 dashes of Juniper bitters

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, then stir for about 30 seconds. Strain and serve up into a coupe glass. Garnish with 3 Luxardo cherries.

44 LAST WORDS
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1 oz. of Rum 44
-1 oz. of Luxardo Maraschino
-1 oz. of Luxardo Del Santo
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-2 dashes of juniper bitters

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker. Add ice, then shake well. Double strain into a coupe glass, and enjoy!

]One important bartending tip when it comes to making cocktails with maple syrup. Maple syrup is naturally thicker than simple syrup, so you may find that stirring doesn’t fully incorporate the syrup in with the other cocktail ingredients. Ordinarily, shaking cocktails containing Vermouth is not recommended, as it can make the flavor slightly bitter. When combining a maple syrup with Vermouth in a cocktail, we recommend just a couple hard shakes before the typical stirring, to help the thicker syrup fully incorporate. 

As you can see, juniper berries aren’t just for gin. Their distinctive flavor works incredibly well mixed with our silver Rum 44! Whether you want the stronger flavor of a spirit infusion, or the more subtle flavor from infused bitters, these recipes are sure to make an impression on cocktail enthusiasts, or those simply looking for a gin alternative. 

To learn more about our award-winning Rum 44, visit the Spirits section of our website.

Written and published by Brianne Lucas on June 9, 2025.