The Ideal Cocktails For National Rum Day

It’s only fitting that August 16^th is National Rum Day. The summer heat is still blazing, the pools are still crowded, and Labor Day is just over the horizon. That sounds like the perfect excuse to set aside the beer for at least one day, and maybe more, a whip up the perfect beverage to relax with on the patio. Rum, the liquor born in the Caribbean, is perfect for this time of year.

The only problem is that most people are tired of the same old mojitos and daiquiris that seem to sit sweating on bar and tabletops all summer long. Either they are sickly sweet concoctions made with fruit puree or watery messes that all the flavors are washed out of to enjoy. So, we reached out to some alcohol industry experts for the one drink they make for themselves on this day, and the rest of the summer too.

Here are the eight unique ones that should make the rest of your summer flavorful.

Hibiscus Coconut Mojito

“Made from locally harvested Roselle Hibiscus, the floral calyx used in our Hibiscus Coconut Rum along with our own unique Toasted Coconut Extract, creates a combination of tartness and toasted coconut flavor. The acidity of lime and fragrance of mint coming together makes for arguably one the most creative mojitos.” – Roger Brisbane, owner of Spice Mill Restaurant and Hibiscus Spirits on St. Kitts.

Ingredients:

3 lime wedges

8 fresh mint leaves

3 oz. Hibiscus Coconut Rum

2 oz. carbonated topper (Caribbean ting, Citrus Club Soda, Ginger Beer, Topo Chico are great options)

Simple syrup to taste (optional)

Method: Muddle lime and mint with rum in a highball glass. Add ice and top with your carbonation of choice.

12 Year Old Blue Mountain Serve

“A Jamaican gem, this Blue Mountain Serve cocktail combines Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Casks with coffee beans for a unique ritual that brings excellence and heritage in every sip. This one-of-a-kind cocktail is perfect for those looking to elevate their pallet by leaning into the sipping culture of rums, and the 12 YO blend is exceptional for transforming ordinary drinks into extraordinary cocktails.” – Monique Brackett, the Jamaican rums portfolio ambassador for Campari America.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Casks

12 Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Beans

Method: Lightly muddle the coffee beans (crack beans only, do not grind), then stir the muddled beans with rum over ice. Strain rum into a double old-fashioned glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with 3-4 whole beans and serve.

Tia Mia

“The Mai Tai is a popular drink order in Hawaii, this twist on a Mai Tai adds an incredible smoke to a tropical classic. Garnish this cocktail with torched cinnamon bark to simulate that bonfire on the beach feeling.” – Christian Taibi, Bar Czar at The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club.

Ingredients:

1 oz. Mezcal

1 oz. Demerara Rum

½ oz. Pierre Ferrand dry Curaçao

½ oz. Orgeat

½ oz. lime Juice

Method: In a Cantaritos (Mexican clay mug) combine both your Rum & mezcal equally. To add to its depth, we like to use a French dry curaçao to round out both leading spirits with notes of orange & oak. To finish off this tropical libation fresh lime juice & orgeat are added. We serve this cocktail over crushed ice, a spring of mint & a flaming piece of cinnamon bark.

El Floridita Dai

DAI
quirí

“The 5+3 Dos Maderas rum is a complex rum that has flavor notes not only of sweetness but the flavors of influence from the sherry barrel aging bring about a nuttiness and dried fruit component that add great nuance to the daiquiri. The addition of maraschino liqueur brings about an interesting twist of depth into the very classic cocktail. Enjoyed shaken and up, over crushed ice, or frozen, the Daiquiri is a classic vehicle to showcase the beauty of a well-constructed complex rum, and this cocktail does just that.” – Diana Novak, national director Craft Spirits Education and Development for Palm Bay International.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Dos Madres 5+3 Rum

1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. of cane sugar

½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

1.5 cups of crushed ice

Method: Chill a large Coupe or Snifter. While it cools zest the lime then cut in half and juice both parts. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend at a medium speed until the texture is smooth. Strain into chilled glass and garnish with the freshly grated lime zest.

Clear Sky

“Inspired by the late summer harvests, Clear Sky combines the nostalgic juiciness of fresh watermelon with savory roasted tomato eau de vie. Agave, fino sherry, and Caribbean rum come together to create a wonderfully complex backbone to an otherwise refreshing and unarguably crushable summer sour. Banks 5-year Caribbean Rum blends 21 different island rums, honoring the individual and how each lends to the larger blend.” – Summer Goff, mixologist at Death & Co Denver

Ingredients:

¾ oz. Siembra Valles Blanco

½ oz. Tio Pepe Fino sherry

½ oz. Banks 5 Island White Rum

¼ oz. Laurent Cazottes 72 Tomatoes

¾ oz. watermelon syrup

¾ oz. lime juice

1 dash MSG solution

Method: Mix all the ingredients into a large shaker over ice and vigorously shake then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Roy’s Martini

“Rum is a wonderfully eclectic spirit that entices almost every taste and palate. When combined with Hawaiian-inspired ingredients, you’ll get Pebble Beach’s famous Roy’s Martini, an exceptionally delicious cocktail full of flavor and fun,” – Pebble Beach’s in-house Mixologist Meg Nielson.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. vodka of choice

1.5 oz. Malibu Rum

½ oz. vanilla vodka of choice

½ oz. pineapple juice

Method: Mix all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and then shake until everything is completely mixed. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a fresh pineapple slice.

Spiced Peach Old Fashioned

“When I came up with the Spiced Peach Old Fashioned, I wanted to merge the worlds of classic and new, as well as highlighting the already wonderful layers of flavors that come with Equiano Original Rum. I felt inspired by living in Georgia, aka the Peach State, and wanted to also add some layers by incorporating chili pepper into my chili-peach syrup. I also added smoked peach flavor into this cocktail by making the ice sphere out of smokey peach water, (half peach puree, half water, and a few drops of liquid smoke). The bitters tie the sweet and spicy flavors together in a balanced way, and still allows the rum to shine throughout the cocktail experience.” – Adi Batista, Equiano Brand Ambassador, Georgia.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Equiano Original Rum

½ oz. chili-peach syrup

2 dashed Angostura bitters

1 smoked peach ice sphere

Chili-Peach Syrup:

1 cup of water

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of diced ripe peaches or thawed frozen peaches

1 chili pepper cut (with seeds for extra kick)

Syrup Method: Add all ingredients into a pan until it comes to a full boil. Lower the heat to slow simmer, and stir until sugar is fully diluted. Remove from heat, and cool then strain into a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Method: Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass, with ice. Stir for ten seconds, strain into rocks glass over smokey peach ice sphere. Garnish with some orange zest.

The Rum Sour

“With the Pre-Cask Collection, we have discovered they also make for intensely flavored, ultra high-provenance ingredients for the most discerning cocktail enthusiasts. With our Single Farm Origin: Lake Antoine – Upper Crater Lake South, I would recommend the Renegade Rum Sour for spirits connoisseurs searching for inherently and authentically flavorsome white spirits to create cocktails rooted in real provenance.” – Renegade Rum CEO Mark Reynier.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Renegade Single Farm Origin: Lake Antoine-Upper Crater Lake South

1 oz. spiced syrup (equal parts All Spice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, with a Bay Leaf)

½ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice

½ oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

7 dashed of Angostura Bitters

Egg White

Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Nick & Nora glass and garnish with lemon zest and angostura bitters.