Every Mardi Gras season in New Orleans, store shelves get inundated with king cakes and king cake-flavored stuff.  There’s king cake vodka and king cake soda to name a couple.  Most of that stuff is overly sweet or tastes like cinnamon candy.  New Orleans-based Cocktail & Sons sought to release a king cake flavored item that’s actually good.  Flavoring for this syrup includes cinnamon, pecan extract and lemon.

That product is their limited edition King Cake cocktail syrup.  It’s limited in that the stuff’s for sale until Mardi Gras, or February 9th for those of you not lucky enough to call NOLA home.

Opening the sample bottle I was sent and taking a whiff, I have to admit – the stuff really does smell like a king cake.  It’s not just cinnamon I smell.  The other ingredients really add a complexity not always found in a flavored syrup.  I’d love to pour this over a stack of pancakes.

I tried their recommended Carnival Punch cocktail with Woodford Reserve (recipe below), and it may become a staple in the household for Mardi Gras season.  And yes, every bottle is packaged with a plastic baby.  Nice.

Bottles are available for purchase through the Cocktail & Sons online store.

Carnival Punch

By Max Messier

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 oz. Rum, vodka or bourbon

.75 oz. Cocktail & Sons King Cake Syrup

.75 oz. Lemon juice

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: Lemon wheel

DIRECTIONS: Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.