Seductive rum cocktails that celebrate the liquor’s flavor

From tiki cocktails to a classic daiquiri, seductive rum cocktails come in various flavor combinations, themes, and applications. Whether someone wants a twist on a classic beverage, a taste of the tropics or something in between, rum can be the base spirit that captures all those sentiments and more.

Each liquor’s flavor starts with its ingredients. From blue agave for tequila to grain for vodka, those ingredients are vital to the finished product. With rum, the flavor comes from sugarcane. The sweetness is more than a spoonful of sugar. It is the base from which all the other ingredients come.

From a lighter, white rum to an aged spirit to even a spiced variety, the differences lend themselves to cocktail creativity. Even if someone’s preference is a bold bourbon or a herbal gin, the reality is that a great rum cocktail can be a delightful swap for those classic options. It might not instantly transport a person to an island vibe, but it is a flavor worth discovering.

Six seductive rum cocktails worthy of another sip

Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars has an elegant flavor. While delightful sipped on its own, using it in a simple cocktail allows the flavor to shine. The Old Barrel could have some people swapping a Manhattan for this option.

Old Barrel

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars
• 1/4 oz Caribbean Cherry (Acerola) Syrup
• 2 Dashes of Orange Bitters
• 2 Dashes of Chocolate Bitters

Barbados Peach Tea

While some people would love to jump on a plane for a tropical getaway, those flavors can be enjoyed at home. In this cocktail from Mount Gay rum, the flavors of the Barbados rum are highlighted with the juiciness of the peach and the earthiness of the tea. It might be the new porch sipper.

Barbados Peach Tea

Ingredient:

• 2 oz Mount Gay Eclipse Rum
• 0.5oz Lemon Juice
• 4 oz Peach Tea
• Garnish: Lemon Peel or Slice

Directions

• Begin by preparing your garnish by either using a peeler to create a lemon peel garnish or cut your lemon into slices. Juice the remaining lemon and set aside.
• Measure and add Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, Lemon Juice and Peach Tea to your glass.
• Top it off with ice and stir.
• Garnish with lemon peel or slice.

Sophie’s Spiced Up Special (Recipe by Sophie Gustaveson)

Captain Morgan is a favorite spiced rum. From a simple Cuba Libre to a personal creation, there is always a place for the rum on the shelf. In this cocktail, the combination of bright acids, spicy ginger beer, and sweet pineapple makes for the perfectly balanced sipper.

In the Classic Kit:

• 1 Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum 375 ml bottle
• 3 Pineapple Juice 6 oz cans
• 1 Black Cherries 8 oz jar
• 2 Ginger Beer 7.5 oz cans
• 4 Lime(s)
• 1 Chili Lime Seasoning (2 TBSP) packet
• 2 Captain Morgan Rocks Glasses
• 1 Captain Morgan Bucket Hat
• 1 Sophie’s Spiced-Up Special Recipe Card
• 1 “Meet the Badtender” Notecard

Directions:

• Begin by washing 2 limes, cut 1 lime in half for juicing, and prepare the other lime by cutting it into wheels for garnish.
• Prep your glass by pouring the chili lime seasoning onto a small saucer plate. Using a lime wedge, rim the rocks glass, then tip glass to plate and roll back and forth in the chili lime seasoning.
• In the rocks glass, muddle the black cherries with fresh lime juice.
• Measure and add pineapple juice and Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum. Add ice, and top with 2 oz of ginger beer.
• Give the cocktail a quick stir. Garnish with a lime wheel and black cherry.
• Cheers!

Kraken Beach Bucket

While some people cannot resist shouting, release the Kraken, this rum is always a good time in a glass. With this cocktail, it is as much about the glass as it is about the liquid inside of it.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 parts Kraken Gold Spiced Rum
• .5 part Coconut Water
• 1 part Pineapple Juice
• 3 parts Limeaide

Hitting all the flavor notes is often the ultimate goal with a great sipper in this cocktail from Flor de Caña, it is sweet, spicy, and zesty. For anyone who loves a margarita, it would be a great substitute.

Flor de Caña Jicarita

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. of Flor de Caña 12 Year Rum
• 3 oz. of Fresh Watermelon Juice
• 1 oz. of Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 oz. of Homemade Jalapeño Syrup
• Slice of Watermelon
• Pinch of Tajín Powder

Method:

• Pour the Flor de Caña 12 Year Rum, Watermelon Juice, Lime Juice and Homemade Jalapeño Syrup in a shaker over ice and shake vigorously. Serve in a Sustainable high volume vessel with ice using a strainer. Decorate with a slice of Watermelon and a pinch of Tajín Powder.

Tiki style drinks often come to mind with rum cocktails. In this option from Sailor Jerry, it captures that island vibe in a sophisticated way. Ready for that perfect sip?

Jungle Bird

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
• ¾ part Bitter Aperitif
• 1 ½ parts pineapple juice
• ¾ part lime juice
• ½ part demerara syrup
• Pineapple wedge

Method:

• Add the rum, Apertif, pineapple juice, lime juice, and demerara syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.