Fassionola is an old school tiki syrup, blood red in color, made from who-knows-what back in the 1920s. The idea was probably a lot like grenadine: Give a drink some bright red color, and in this case, a punch of sugar, too. Some authorities have compared old scchool fassionola to syrupy Hawaiian Punch.

There’s no evidence that ancient fassionola was anything remarkable, but today that is changing. Our friends at Cocktail & Sons have given fassionola the artisan upgrade, fashioning a modern version out of pineapple, mango, passion fruit, hibiscus flowers, strawberries, and lime zest. The result: A bright red concoction that can sub into everything that needs sweetness, fruit, and a little (or a lot of) crimson.

The C&S Fassionola is an intense beast. Those strawberries are what come through the clearest on the palate, boiled down plenty and giving the syrup a sticky, almost overpowering berry character. The remaining ingredients take the back seat. While a slight floral element emerges on the palate, the tropical components are legitimately hard to pick out in the wake of a strawberry overload. All told, it’s a solid addition to your cocktailing arsenal — though you may need to reference some more obscure or historical recipe guides to find it referenced.

That said, one of fassionola’s most essential cocktails is the Hurricane, and if you want to try making it without relying on a powdered garbage mixer, give it a whirl with fassionala. It’s easy:

Hurricane
1 1/2 oz. silver or aged rum
3/4 oz. fassionola
1/2 oz. lime juice

Stir ingredients in a rocks glass with ice for 15-20 seconds and serve.

B+ / $15 per 8 oz. bottle / cocktailandsons.com