With work hours and environments constantly evolving (due to the pandemic), Happy Hour can be celebrated at just about anytime. And we all love a refreshing drink when the weather gets hot! So here are five refreshing rum-based cocktails to beat the heat!
Mai Tai
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One of the easiest rum cocktails to make, this tropical delight give off a fresh buzz and are perfect when enjoyed with friends during the weekend. A cocktail first invented in California way back in 1944, the mai tai, or “excellent” in Tahitian, is just as its namesake says, it is an excellent choice for any occasion. This makes it the definitive drink to make when starting the summer!
Ingredients
- White Rum 30ml
- Dark Rum 30ml
- Orange curacao or Cointreau 1 tbsp
- Orgeat or almond syrup ½ tbsp
- Lime juice 30ml
- Sugar syrup ½ tbsp
- Mint leaves to garnish
- Lime wheel to garnish
- Pineapple wedge to garnish
- Ice cubes
This cocktail is fun to make because of how easy it is! Just put all of the ingredients, leaving out the garnishes, inside a cocktail shaker with ice and shake it well. Strain them inside a tumbler with ice and serve with fresh garnish. These will help enhance the drink’s cool and refreshing flavour.
We recommend Cruzan White Rum and Cruzan Dark Rum for a distinguished and robust flavour!
Zombie
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Zombie is a tried-and-tested recipe when talking about rum-based cocktails with good reason, as it brings out a complex harmony with its three-rum mix. First made at Don Beach in California, the zombie is a potent cocktail and when consumed, it is said that one will walk like the dead, hence its name. As long as you can manage your liquor, the zombie is well worth making and serving.
Ingredients
- White rum 25ml
- Dark rum 25ml
- Overproof rum 1 tbsp
- Lime juice 25ml
- Anise liqueur 25ml
- Pineapple juice 100ml
- Angostura bitters 1 drop
- Grenadine 1 tsp
- Mint sprigs, cocktail cherries and orange or pineapple wedges to garnish
- Ice cubes
Put all the rums, lime juice, pineapple juice, anise liqueur, and Angostura bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice and blitz the shaker for a few seconds. Alternatively, shake the container well until it becomes cold to the touch. Pour the mixture into a cocktail glass with ice and carefully drizzle the grenadine on top. Garnish for a sweet tropical accent in your drink.
We recommend using the light flavours of Bacardi Anejo Cuatro 4 Years Old, Bacardi Carta Blanca, and Chalong Bay Rum. These rums work very well together for a fuller taste while treating you to a complex palate.
Mojito
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The mojito is another classic that is practically begging you to relax. This traditional Cuban highball made its name by its light but delicious flavour. Its clear colour makes you thirsty just by looking at it while its fragrance and refreshing taste make sure you’ll go for seconds. The Havana Club 3 Years Old is an excellent white rum to try this out on!
Ingredients
- Fresh mint leaves add more for garnish
- Lime juice 75ml
- Sugar syrup 50ml
- White rum 60ml
- Soda or Sparkling Water 100ml
- Crushed ice
First, muddle the mint by placing it in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and use a cocktail muddler to press it until it becomes aromatic. When you’re muddling the mint, your goal isn’t to pulverize it or crush it. Instead, just bruise it slightly to help it release its fragrant oils.
Next, pour the rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and a handful of ice into the cocktail shaker, and shake it vigorously until the ingredients are completely combined and chilled.
Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker over a glass filled with ice. Top your glass with soda water, and garnish it with lime slices and more fresh mint sprigs.
Coco no Loco
It should not come as a surprise that coconut juice is a great ingredient for cocktails. The coco no loco is a very popular drink in Colombia, often always sold beachside and traditionally served inside a fresh coconut husk. Here’s an incredibly simple recipe that highlights what coconut juice can do for your parties. The coconut husk is optional!
Ingredients
- White rum 50ml
- Coconut water
- Lime 2 wedges
- Mint 1 sprig
- Ice cubes
Pour the rum into a highball glass filled with ice, top with coconut juice, and lightly squeeze in a dab of lime. Serve with a wedge of lime and some mint.
Pretty simple right? We recommend using Saint James White Rum for just that right buzz in your mix.
Rum Negroni
Here’s another tasty drink that is pretty easy to make. The rum negroni is a Mediterranean classic but it can be enjoyed almost anywhere. Decant some in a flask and take it with you when going for a walk in the park!
Ingredients
- Golden rum 50ml
- Campari aperitif 50ml
- Red vermouth 50ml
- Ice cubes
- Water 25ml
Put all the ingredients and 25ml of water in a jug and mix well. Decant into a flask and seal.
This mix has incredible longevity and is great for a quick buzz. We recommend using Bacardi Carta Oro for your gold rum and Ferdinand’s Rose Vermouth for red vermouth for a more refined taste.
Rum cocktails are so diverse that there is a recipe for any occasion. And each one of them is guaranteed to be delicious thanks to the sweet and complex buzz that rum brings. Time to make your own rum cocktail today and unwind!
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