Today is National Rum Day and it’s hot y’all. Like steamy, sweltering, sweaty, I-can’t-breathe, goddamn have some respect for my edges NYC August hot. Now I don’t know about you but when the weather gets this bad, my criteria for drink solutions are pretty simple: It has to be ice cold; it has to be quick to mix up, and it’s got to be an easy sipper—nothing harsh or challenging. Here’s what I’ve been chilling with lately.
Rum Powered Coolers
Macau
1½ oz. Flor de Caña 7 Year Rum
1 oz. guava juice
1 oz. orange juice
½ oz. lemon juice
1/3 oz. simple sugar
Fill a shaker ¾ full of ice, add rum, the guava, orange and lemon juices and simple syrup. Shake vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds. Pour into highball glass. Garnish with 1 orange slice and 1 cherry with stem.
The Mojito
You don’t have to wait until you hit your favorite bar or nightspot to down this refresher. They’re so easy to whip up at home. Get yourself some fresh mint, a few limes, your stash of simple syrup you can find the recipe at the bottom of the page**) and a bottle of club soda and get to sippin’.
6 mint leaves
1½ oz white rum
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
1½ oz. club soda
Drop the mint leaves into a highball glass. Muddle lightly then add lime juice, simple syrup and rum. Stir. Add ice and top with soda.
Captain & Cola
The popular spiced rum brand’s version of the Cuba libre
1½ oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
5 oz. Cola
Lime Garnish
Combine ingredients in an ice filled glass. Stir to combine and garnish with a lime wedge.
Dark ‘n Stormy
Bermuda’s gift to the cocktail world is almost as easy to make as it is to drink. To do it properly, meaning authentic, you must use Gosling’s Black Seal Dark Rum. Any ginger beer will work, Gosling’s makes their own but Barritts Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer is a traditional choice.
2 oz Gosling’s Black Seal Dark Rum
5 oz ginger beer
lime wedge
Fill a highball glass with ice, add rum and top with ginger beer. Garnish with lime wedge.
Barbadian Rum Punch
This play on the basic components of a punch (sour, sweet, strong, weak and spice) can be made with a spiced unsweetened iced tea for a twist.
1 Part Sour (lime juice)
2 Parts Sweet (simple syrup)
3 Parts Strong (rum, preferably Mount Gay Black Barrel)
4 Parts Weak (water or unsweetened iced tea)
Combine ingredients in a punch bowl or large container.
Pineapple Crush
1½ parts Cruzan Single Barrel Rum
½ part Cruzan Pineapple Rum
Juice of one whole Lime
4 one-inch cubes of fresh pineapple
4-6 fresh sage leaves
Soda Water
In a mixing glass, muddle the sage with the lime juice first, then add the pineapple and muddle again. Add rums. Stir. Pour into a tall highball glass over ice. Spritz with soda water. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Flor de Caña Ultimate Mojito
2 parts Flor de Caña Gran Reserva 7
½ part lime juice
1/3 part superfine sugar
3 leaves mint
Champagne
Method: Muddle lime juice with sugar in a Collins glass. Add mint leaves and muddle again. Fill glass 2/3 full with crushed ice and add rum. Top off with a champagne float. Garnish with sprig of mint.
Black Strap Belle
Recipe by Tiffanie Barriere in Atlanta.
Trust if my girl Tiffanie created it, it’s IG-worthy and full of flavor
2 parts Cruzan Black Strap Rum
2 parts Coconut Water
1 teaspoon Honey Syrup*
Squeeze of Half Fresh Lime
6 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake well. Pour into a rocks or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice. Garnish with nutmeg. (and hey, why not make it really cute by placing a star anise on the ice cube?)
*Honey Syrup: Combine equal parts honey and warm water. Shake/Stir to dissolve.
**Simple Syrup Recipe
Combine equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar is fully dissolved.
Allow to cool before using in cocktail.
