5 White Rum Cocktails that Scream Summer
By Vicki Cruz
White rum is the ultimate summer mixer.
Like tequila, white rum used to have a bad reputation as a cheap party liquor, but also like tequila, that has changed in recent years. There are numerous premium white rum brands now on the market that require no mixing, just sipping. Of course, you can still mix white rum into a fine cocktail; it is after all one of the most versatile mixers on the market. The most familiar cocktails with this spirit are the mojito and the daiquiri, but the five drinks below mix it up a bitt — literally — and show you how white rum can shine in many iterations.
Calypso Sun
Courtesy of Tommy Bahama Restaurant/Bar
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Light Rum
- 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
- 1 oz. Orange Juice
- 1 oz. Cream of Coconut
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a glass filled with ice and stir. Garnish with starfruit.
Long Island Lemon Tea
Courtesy of Sweet Leaf Tea
Ingredients:
- 1/2 part Vodka
- 1/2 part Gin
- 1/2 part White Rum
- 1/2 part White Tequila
- 1 dash Triple Sec
- 1 part Sweet Leaf Tea Lemon Iced Tea
Preparation: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all ingredients and shake it up. Pour into a glass.
Yellowbird
Courtesy of The Reefs Resort, Bermuda
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Bacardi Rum
- 1 1/2 oz. Galliano Liqueur
- 1 oz. Banana Liqueur
- Orange Juice
- Pineapple Juice
- Cherry and Orange Wedge (for Garnish)
Preparation: In a shaker filled with ice, pour in rum and both liqueurs. Top off shaker with even portions of both orange and pineapple juices. Shake. Pour into a Collins glass and garnish with cherry and orange wedge.
Flamingo
Courtesy of Constantino Ribalaigua of the legendary “Floridita” bar, Cuba
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Caña Brava Rum
- 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
- 1/2 oz. Lime Juice
- 1/2 oz. Grenadine
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.
XYZ Cocktail
Courtesy of The Savoy Cocktail Book
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Cuban-Style Rum, Such as Caña Brava Rum
- 3/4 oz. Dry Curacao
- 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Ingredients: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garish with orange twist.