Sorrel rum brings new flavour to Christmas classics
Published:Thursday | December 18, 2025 | 12:09 AM
No flavour says ‘Jamaican Christmas’ quite like sorrel, and this year, D&G Sorrel Rum is stepping into the spotlight with two festive creations for your holiday table. Two flavour artisans have reimagined the season’s signature ingredient in bold ways: Chef Durren McClean, managing director of Surf and Turf Catering, and mixologist Theo Miller. The result? A D&G Sorrel Rum-glazed ham that’s guaranteed to be the centrepiece of your Christmas spread, and a D&G velvet sorrel cocktail that brings the perfect sip of cheer.
D&G SORREL RUM GLAZED HAM BY CHEF DURREN MCCLEAN
If Christmas had a signature aroma, it would be the smell of a glazed ham and sorrel, ginger, and warming spices. Chef McClean leans into tradition but gives it a modern, flavour-forward twist by using D&G Sorrel Rum to deepen the glaze and highlight the fruitiness of the sorrel.
HOW TO PREPARE THE HAM
Start with a medium-sized pre-cooked ham, roughly eight pounds. Using a sharp knife, carefully trim off the fat and skin until the pink meat is visible. Score the ham in diagonal lines so they intersect, then place whole black cloves at each intersecting point. Wrap the ham in foil, place it in the oven, and bake at 325° Fahrenheit for about one hour. Once the ham is heated through, it’s time for the star of the show: the glaze.
THE SORREL RUM GLAZE
Chef McClean’s glaze begins with steeped sorrel petals or sorrel juice brought gently to a boil. Into the saucepan, add brown sugar, liquid or fresh ginger, cinnamon powder or sticks, honey or agave, and a generous splash of D&G Sorrel Rum. Allow the mixture to boil for five minutes, then reduce the heat and stir steadily until it thickens. A bit of cornstarch mixed with room-temperature water helps bring the glaze to the perfect consistency.
“This glaze should cling to the ham, not run off it,” he explains. “That’s how you know it will caramelise beautifully in the oven.”
Brush the glaze over the ham, return it to the oven for another 20 minutes, and let the magic happen. Once done, spoon over extra sauce, then garnish with slices of pineapple, maraschino cherries, and fresh sorrel petals for a festive finish.
D&G VELVET SORREL COCKTAIL BY MIXOLOGIST THEO MILLER
Nothing completes the Jamaican Christmas experience like a cocktail in hand, and Mixologist Theo Miller builds his around layers of warmth, spice, and brightness.
INGREDIENTS
● 1.5 oz D&G Sorrel Rum
● 1 oz Smirnoff vodka
● 1 oz amaretto
● .75 oz apricot liqueur
● 1 oz lime juice
● .75 oz simple syrup
● .5 oz ginger extract
● 5 dashes Angostura bitters
DIRECTIONS
1. Add all ingredients to a shaker. Fill with ice and shake for 10 seconds. Rim a rocks glass with simple syrup and powdered sugar, add fresh ice, and strain the cocktail into the glass.
2. Add a garnish. Miller’s signature garnish is a fan of thinly sliced apple and a piece of ginger, which gives the drink a crisp and aromatic finish.