Food - Drink
Panther Milk: Is It Really What It
Sounds Like?
By MICHELLE WELSCH
Despite its name, panther milk doesn’t come from a jungle cat, nor is it used to feed a growing animal, but like a panther, this drink has the ability to creep up on you when you least expect it. Originally known as “leche de pantera,” panther milk is a creamy, dairy-based libation that packs a surprising punch; don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Panther milk has a surprising history that spans from injured soldiers to rowdy college students and today's European drinking scene. The drink either originated with a Spanish bartender who created a cheap, easy-to-make, and easy-to-drink libation or with injured soldiers who tinkered with condensed milk and whatever alcohol they could find while bedridden in the infirmary
Today, the drink is made with condensed milk, full cream milk, grenadine, and gin, brandy, or rum, and then dusted with cinnamon to create a creamy, dessert-like drink. Trendy variations feature a soft pink color, while alternative flavors like strawberry, coffee, or vanilla — or dairy-free milk alternatives — attract the uninitiated to the surprisingly easy-to-drink concoction.