Rum Cocktails

Rums are born from sugar: fresh cut sugarcane in the case of rum agricoles like cachasa case, and molasses in the case of most other rums. To make rum, the sugar or sugary byproduct is fermented, distilled, and usually left to mature in charred oak barrels. Like most other spirits, raw, distilled rum is quite clear, only getting color from the barrel (or from artificial colors in the case of some of the cheaper rums).

Rum has a checkered past closely linked to the transatlantic slave trade. During the 17th and 18th centuries, slaves from West Africa were often shipped to South America and the to Caribbean where they were sold for cash crops like cotton, sugar, and tobacco, and for rum. Rum production started in earnest in the Caribbean in the 1600s when slaves started fermenting molasses. The first distilleries in the United States were established in 1664 in Staten Island, and in 1667 in Boston. Colonial Americans loved rum. Many believed rum could cure diseases. Colonial Americans also deeply distrusted water (rightly so), leading to an impressive, 14L annual per capita consumption. Rum was so prevalent that it was used as a bribe to encourage voting for the right candidate. In Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, author Daniel Orkent wrote: “When twenty-four-year-old George Washington first ran for a seat in the Virginia House of Burgesses, he attributed his defeat to his failure to provide enough alcohol for the voters. When he tried again two years later, Washington floated into office partly on the 144 gallons of rum, punch, hard cider and beer his election agent handed out—roughly half a gallon for every vote he received.”


We love rum, here are some of our favorite cocktails:

It's no secret that we're huge fans of Smugglers' Cove. Our names are even displayed in the doorway of the Read more
The Groundhog's Day Negroni is a quarantine-approved Negroni with aged Hampden spirit and a lot of gin. Read more
As always, I'm a huge fan of the daiquiri. Simple to make, simple to fuck up, daiquiris traditionally contain just Read more
cocktail in front of honey bottle and banana liqueur bottle
The drink features Yoichi Single Malt, a peated Japanese malt from the famous Yoichi distillery. It also includes Pacific Rum. Read more
We originally bought Giffard's banana liqueur solely for the purpose of making I Love Lamp, a cocktail featured in Imbibe. Read more
Tasty summery cocktail featuring peated whiskey, rum, banana liqueur, and Sherry. Read more
High octane negroni with split base between Rumfire and El Dorado Read more
Prohibition era cocktail with a triple base of rye, rum, and brandy. Read more
Yellowish cocktail in glass with silver pick with lime garnish ontop of glass surface
The classic daiquiri with Jamaican Rum. Read more
Small bottle next to champagne flute with lime on top containing yellow fizzy drink
A French 75 variant with the fire of Rumfire Read more
Cocktail ontop of cutting board with lime garnish
Cocktail with powerful Jamaican rum fire, and Banana liqueur. Read more
Rum fire and fino sherry cocktail Read more
Cocktail next to strainer with a bottle above it, shot from the top
A two ingredient one-two-punch Read more
Cocktail in a long stemmed glass with a lime garnish
The classic daiquiri with Jamaican Rum. Read more
Cocktail with a lime garnish on top of wooden plank
A grassy agricole diamondback variant by Thomas Waguh from Death & Co. Read more
Cocktail next to bottle of Rum Fire on top of rocks in a fire pit
Powerful cocktail featuring funky Jamaican rum Read more
Cocktail sitting on map of NYC next to a small chicken
Balanced cocktail with rum and Tequila base. Read more
Learning to love banana liqueur Read more
Cocktail with Tequila bottle next to it
Dual based shrub cocktail. Read more
Cocktail with city behind it
Cuban play on the tiki Kaiteur Swizzle Read more
Cocktail in glass with a large ice cube and cherry on top
Rum old fashioned using Havana Club 7 Read more
Cocktail in silver rimmed glass with lime garnish on top of cutting board
Dark rum daiquari with extra booze Read more