Corn 'n' Oil
Serves 1 · 5 minutes · Old-fashioned glass
Last updated 24 October 2026
Corn 'n' Oil is a Barbadian short drink of aged rum and falernum over crushed ice, with bitters and an optional dark rum float. Falernum's clove, lime and almond notes make it a natural neighbour to spiced rum, but the classic starts with a plain aged rum.
Ingredients
- — 60ml aged Caribbean rum (40% ABV assumed)
- — 15ml John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum (11% ABV; contains almond)
- — 3 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters (about 1ml; 44.7% ABV assumed)
- — Crushed ice
- — 10ml blackstrap rum, optional float (40% ABV assumed)
- — A washed lime wedge, to garnish
Method
- Measure the aged rum, falernum and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled.
- Fill an old-fashioned glass with crushed ice and strain the mixture over it.
- If using the float, pour the measured 10ml blackstrap rum slowly over the back of a spoon so it rests on the surface.
- Garnish with the lime wedge and serve promptly while the ice is still distinct.
Why it works
Falernum supplies sweetness, clove and lime notes in one measured liqueur, so the drink needs no separate syrup. Bitters keep the sweetness in check, and crushed ice provides gradual dilution. The optional float adds aroma and strength; it is a garnish measure, not a second drink.
The classic vs the spiced version
The cited Difford's Guide specification uses 60ml aged Caribbean rum, 15ml falernum, three dashes of bitters and an optional dark float. We keep those measures and make the dash an explicit 1ml house measure. Replace the 60ml aged rum with 60ml Dilay only for a clearly labelled spiced adaptation: its cardamom and ginger sit alongside falernum's clove rather than reproducing the plain aged base.
Tips for getting it right
- — Velvet Falernum is an alcoholic liqueur with almond ingredients, not alcohol-free falernum syrup. Check allergy information and prevent cross-contact.
- — The float is optional and counted separately below. Without it the drink is 2.61 UK units; the 10ml float adds 0.4 units at the assumed strength.
- — Crushed ice dilutes steadily as you drink. Dilution changes the strength of each sip but does not remove the alcohol poured.
- — Some published versions add lime juice; the cited specification does not. Treat lime-juice versions as a different recipe rather than mixing the two.
Related serves
For another falernum classic, make a Zombie
For a stirred short serve, see the existing Rum Old Fashioned
Frequently asked questions
What is falernum?
A Caribbean liqueur flavoured with clove, lime and almond. The cited Velvet Falernum bottling is 11% ABV and contains almond; alcohol-free falernum syrups are different products.
Is the dark rum float required?
No. It is an optional 10ml garnish measure in the cited recipe. It adds aroma and 0.4 UK units at the assumed strength; the drink is complete without it.
Does Corn 'n' Oil contain lime juice?
Not in the cited specification — its lime character comes from the falernum. Some other published recipes add lime juice; those are different recipes.
Can I use spiced rum?
Yes as a labelled adaptation. Substitute the same 60ml measure of Dilay for the aged rum; the falernum, bitters and ice stay unchanged.
Try Dilay 1949 Panjabi Spiced Rum in this recipe.
BUY DILAY 1949 PANJABI SPICED RUMRecipe references
Our method and spiced adaptations are described separately from the referenced classic specifications.
Approx. 2.61 UK units per serving from the measured alcoholic ingredients. 2.61 UK units per serving at the stated strengths, without the optional float. The 10ml blackstrap float adds 0.4 units, taking the drink to 3.01. Assumes the rums at 40%, Velvet Falernum at 11% and bitters at 44.7%; check actual labels.
Please drink responsibly. 18+. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.