Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (6 to 8 lemons), strained
• 1 (750-ml) bottle Jamaican amber rum
• 12 oz Cognac (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 oz peach brandy (1/4 cup)
• Garnish: lemon slices
• a 1/2-gallon cardboard juice or milk carton, top (spout) end cut off

Instructions

1. To make ice block, fill carton with water and freeze until solid, about 8 hours (see cooks' note, below).
2. Stir together sugar and 31/2 cups water in a large bowl or pot until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon juice, rum, Cognac, and brandy and chill, covered, at least 3 hours.
3. Put ice block in a punch bowl and pour punch over it.