August 16th is National Rum Day and a great excuse to look forward to a Monday and celebrate with some of your favorites. Don’t usually drink rum? That’s okay – below are some easy and delicious rum cocktail recipes you can serve for your friends or even just as a treat for yourself.
Rum cocktail recipes have a bad reputation of being from plastic bottled mixers or overly intoxicated spring breakers. The list below will bring rum back up to par with the other bar heavy weights, like vodka or whiskey, with fresh ingredients and a fresh perspective. You may recognize some of the names below, but don’t let the commercialized stereotype cloud your judgement – try one (or a few) and see for yourself how great rum recipes can be!
- The Classic Daquiri
The one that started them all, the daquiri is definitely one of the quintessential rum recipes. It comes together without the use of a blender, and it only requires a few ingredients.
- 4 ounces of light rum
- 2 ounces lime juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- Lime twist, for garnish
Combine rum, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to mix and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with the lime twist. Serves 2.
- Taking Back Pina Colada
This drink often finds itself on posters for cheesy island getaways, but this isn’t your usual pina colada. This reimagined cocktail has none of the dilated, slushie consistency you may be used to and all of the flavor you’ve been missing.
- 4 ounces light rum
- 3 ounces coconut cream
- 4 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- A pineapple wedge and pineapple leaf for garnish
Combine rum, coconut cream, pineapple and lime juices into a shaker filled with ice and shake for 30 seconds. Strain into a Hurricane glass filled with pebble ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge and pineapple leaf. Serves 2.
- Dark ‘n Stormy
As mysterious as its namesake, the legend of this drink says it was created over a hundred years ago by an old sailor who wanted a little something extra in his home-brewed ginger beer.
- 4 ounces dark rum
- 6 ounces of chilled ginger beer
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- Lime wheels for garnish
Combine dark rum and lime juice in a cocktail strainer filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a glass. Stir in the ginger beer, and add lime wheel for garnish. Serves 2.
- Mojito
A refreshing summer drink, the mint mojito is perfect for national rum day if you are thinking of taking the party outside. And do not, under any circumstances, skip the fresh mint!
- 2 lime wedges
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 ounces light rum
- 1/2 cup club soda
- 2 mint sprigs, plus garnish
Squeeze lime juice, and drop wedge into glass. Add sugar and mint leaves and muddle. Add ice, and then pour in rum and club soda, stirring to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve. Serves 1 but can easily be doubled.
- The Best (Mai Tai)!
While there is some dispute over who exactly concocted the first Mai Tai, a Victor Jules Bergeron claims it was his Tahitian friends exclaiming, “Mai tai-roa ae!” or the best, that sealed in the name for this tasty drink.
- 3 ounces white rum
- 1.5 ounce orange curacao
- 1.5 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce orgeat
- 1 ounce dark rum
- Garnish: lime wheel, mint sprig
Combine white rum, curacao, lime juice, and orgeat into a shaker filled with ice. Shake for about five seconds and pour into two glasses. Gently add the dark rum over top and finish it off with a lime wheel and a mint sprig for garnish. Serves 2.
- Cable Car
A deviation from classic rum, this cocktail is made with spiced rum and a tip of the hat to a bygone era of San Francisco.
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 lemon wedge
- 1 1/2 ounces spiced rum
- 3/4 ounce of orange curacao
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- Garnish with orange twist
Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl or saucer. Rub the rim of a cocktail glass with the lemon wedge and then dip into the bowl of cinnamon sugar. Set aside.
Add spiced rum, curacao, lemon juice, and syrup to a shaker filled with ice and shake. Double strain it into the rimmed glass and serve. Garnish with the orange spiral. Serves 1.
- The Hurricane
For those looking to go all out, the Hurricane is the drink for you and your next gettogether. It is arguably the most complex drink on the list, but it is reliably sweet, boozy, and party ready.
- 2 ounces light rum
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce fresh orange juice
- 1/2 ounce passion fruit puree
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- A teaspoon of grenadine
- Garnish with a preserved cherry and half orange wheel
Combine rums, lime and orange juices, passion fruit puree, syrup, and grenadine into a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, and strain into a Hurricane glass filled with ice. Garnish with the orange half-wheel and a preserved cherry. Serves 1 brave adult.