Entertaining

10 Best Rum Drinks

This cocktail calls for a seriously heavy handed pour of rum—which is not a bad thing. A whopping four ounces of dark rum mixes with homemade passion fruit syrup and lemon juice to create an authentic New Orleans Hurricane.

As far as rum highballs go, the Dark and Stormy is one of the most complex tasting yet simplest to make. Bold dark rum stands up to spicy, pungent ginger beer, and once you add a squeeze of a fresh lime, you’ll have a drink that delivers sweet, sour and spicy notes with every sip.

Don’t worry—there is neither corn nor oil in this cocktail. The drink’s name was inspired by the colors of its two main ingredients, dark-as-tar blackstrap rum and pale, nutty falernum. The Corn ‘N’ Oil is similar to the Dark and Stormy in structure, but spiced velvet falernum, in place of fizzy ginger beer, makes for a smoother sipper.

Rum was a staple of the Revolutionary War-era diet, making its way into punches, nogs and, of course, flips. This nearly traditional Rum Flip mixes dark rum with a whole egg and demerara syrup for the ultimate creamy nightcap. For your safety, we left out the traditional, fiery red-hot poker that was used to heat it back in the day.

Planter’s Punch takes iced tea to the next level. Our favorite version of the classic Caribbean cocktail uses overproof Jamaican rum, fresh lime juice, demerara syrup, mint and chilled black tea. Served over crushed ice, it’s a frosty, rummy swizzle perfect for cooling down on a hot day.

This maritime favorite features a custom ice mold: the Navy Grog ice cone. The conical ice, which surrounds and chills the straw, is the defining feature of the cocktail, which is made with three different types of rum, fresh grapefruit juice, honey syrup and seltzer. While you can buy a mold for the cone, you can also make your own using a Pilsner glass and our handy tutorial.

This tiki cocktail uses a trifecta of gold rum, demerara rum and Jamaican rum. Mixed with fresh orange and lime juice, falernum and Don’s Gardenia Mix (a blend of honey, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice) it’s tropical decadence at its best.

Rum and Champagne are an unlikely duo, but this bubbly spritzer proves they belong together. Whoever we have to thank for the combo of gold rum, lime juice, honey syrup and Champagne, we raise our glass to you.

If you like Piña Coladas but don’t want to work your way through a gargantuan Hurricane glass, look to the Painkiller. Rum, pineapple juice and cream of coconut are still the stars of the show, but fresh orange juice and grated nutmeg give the lowball some added tiki flair.

Come the holiday season, it doesn’t get more comforting than a steaming mug of Hot Buttered Rum—a warming cocktail made with rum, hot water, butter, brown sugar, vanilla ice cream, orange zest and baking spices. If you’re making Hot Buttered Rum for a crowd, check out our easy crock pot-friendly version—perfect for your next dinner party.