Pirate's Treasure

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/24/21
Pirate's Treasure Shot Drink with Captain Morgan and Goldschlager

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 shot

The pirate's treasure is a fun drink to make at parties and one of the tastiest shots you'll find. Better yet, you only need two ingredients, both of which are so popular that they may already be in your bar.

This recipe puts your bartending skills to the test, though it's easy enough so anyone can pull it off. To make it, you'll bury your "treasure" (the gold flakes of Golschläger) underneath a dirt-brown layer of spiced rum. And, if you go with the recommended brand, you'll have the pirate Captain Morgan guarding your booty.

It sounds like a gimmick—and it is in a way—though the ​effect is quite cool if you get distinct layers. As an extra bonus, the combination of cinnamon schnapps and spiced rum is rather delicious, and it's almost too bad this is a ​shooter that doesn't last long.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 ounce Goldschläger Cinnamon Schnapps

  • 3/4 ounce spiced rum

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the Goldschläger into a shot glass.

  3. Float the spiced rum on top by pouring it slowly over the back of a bar spoon.

  4. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • The liquor brands called for in the recipe are very specific for a reason. Goldschläger is the only cinnamon schnapps that has gold flakes and Captain Morgan plays up the "pirate" effect.
  • If you switch either brand, you might have problems getting distinct layers in your shot. That's because the specific gravity of these two spirits is so dynamic (the schnapps is filled with sugars, so it's very heavy) that the rum naturally wants to float on top of the schnapps. Other brands may have slightly different specific gravities, so you might lose the effect to some extent.
  • Don't have a bar spoon? Grab a regular teaspoon from your silverware drawer and pour the rum over the back of that.
  • Since no ice is involved in making the drink, serving this shot in a chilled shot glass is a great option. The spirits will instantly cool down and that can make the shot go down easier.

Recipe Variations

  • If you're not a fan of spiced rum, you can pour an aged rum instead. As long as you stay with one around 80-proof, the specific gravity should be nearly the same, so the layers should come out fairly well. White rum can also be used, but you won't have the brown color on top.
  • You can also make this shot with tequila or whiskey. Either should float rather nicely on top of the thick schnapps, though the taste will be entirely different.

How Strong Is the Pirate's Treasure?

With no dilution to factor in, the pirate's treasure is as strong as the two liquors combined. Captain Morgan is 35 percent ABV (70 proof) and Goldschläger is stronger at 43.5 percent ABV (87 proof), so the shot has an alcohol content of 39 percent ABV (78 proof). That's just under a straight shot of tequila, so this is definitely not the lightest drink you can mix up.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87 Calories
0g Fat
5g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 0mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 1mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)