One Classic Midwest Cocktail Disappeared Entirely Before Its Bottled Revival

Chicago is the Midwest's most famous metropolis, and it isn't just the birthplace of the famous Chicago deep dish pizza — it also saw the rise, fall, and current revival of a classic bottled cocktail: Cohasset Punch. Described as a rum punch by some and as a liqueur by others, Cohasset Punch is a blend of rum, vermouth, orange bitters, and canned peaches.

Invented in the 1890s in Chicago, Cohasset Punch quickly became the Midwest's "it" drink for several decades. But it was actually inspired by New England. Cohasset Punch was concocted by renowned mixologist Tom Newman who, alongside businessman Lewis Williams, owned Williams & Newman, a famous Gilded Age Chicago saloon specializing in fancy cocktails. The story goes that Williams visited friends in the New England town of Cohasset, Massachusetts, where rum punch was the regional specialty. Determined to impress his friends, Williams called on his business partner to come up with the best rum punch recipe. Newman invented the drink in 24 hours, sending a cask of it over to its namesake town, wowing Williams' friends. 

Its success prompted Newman to make Cohasset Punch a regular cocktail item on the Williams & Newman menu, and by 1899, Cohasset Punch was being bottled and distributed. Saloonkeeper Carl Laudner of the Ladner Bros. bar took over bottling and distribution upon Williams and Newman's retirement in 1916. The punch became a mainstay at bars and restaurants around Chicago until 1986, when Ladner Bros. closed, and Cohasset Punch quickly faded into obscurity.

Cohasset Punch disappeared from menus and liquor shelves for the last 30 years or so, but it has recently seen a revival. In 2019, Gregory Shutters, a curious graphic designer-turned-mixologist, took a deep dive into Google searches on Cohasset Punch's history and original recipes. The search became an obsession, resulting in Shutters coming up with his own formula that he produced, bottled, and debuted in 2024. Now you can find the bottles of G.R. Shutter's Cohasset Punch on shelves in Illinois or order them online for shipping to most U.S. states.

Cohasset Punch has a deep red hue and a sweet, fruity, and rich taste with a smooth finish. You can drink it like you would any type of rum cocktail, chilled or over ice. It was originally served over a brandy-soaked peach slice or strained over a regular peach slice for added fruitiness. But Cohasset Punch also tastes delicious as a liqueur to mix into more complex cocktails. At 60 proof, it's strong enough to be the star spirit that you can dilute and refresh with a splash of club soda. 

For a stronger bubbly cocktail, you can mix Cohasset Punch with champagne. You can take a lesson from other rum cocktails and create your own unique rum punch. For example, you can use Cohasset Punch instead of peach-rum justino in this famous peachy Thunderbolt cocktail, featuring a splash of agricole rhum, crème de pêche, and a mint leaf garnish.