Swap It Out: Update Your Classic Cocktail with Rum
By Chilled Magazine
Getting bored with your classic cocktails? Swapping out spirits can make a surprising amount of difference.
Rum is the spirit of the season, and as the market grows with premium and craft offerings, it’s time to give rum a serious update. Gone are the days of hiding a sub-par spirit under layers of overly sweet, tropical flavors. Modern rum stands its ground against fellow brown spirits like whiskey and scotch. Even whiskey and bourbon enthusiasts are switching up what’s in their glasses.
Good rum has always existed for those who knew where to look, but with the rise in premium spirits across the board, rum has had a true chance to flourish. What has rum got over whiskey? In short, variety. Thanks to the decentralized nature of rum production, there’s an incredible level of versatility within the spirit. This versatility is readily apparent when you use a premium expression in a classic cocktail—particularly minimalist cocktails. Cocktails that only have a few ingredients are the perfect place to showcase how much flavor and quality rum brings to the table.
Next time you’re setting up a classic mix, give rum a try!
Tropical Negroni
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Aged Rum
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. Sherry
Preparation: Add ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until cols. Strain into a tumbler with fresh ice and garnish with an orange peel.
Rum Mule
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Rum
- 2 oz. Ginger Beer
- 2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
Preparation: Build ingredients in a glass with ice, top with two dashes of bitters and a hearty squeeze of lime.
Island Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Rum
- 2 dashes Angostura Cocoa Bitters
- 1 Sugar Cube
Preparation: In a glass add the sugar cube and bitters, muddle with a bar spoon. Add the rum and a large cube of ice. Gently stir to combine before expressing an orange peel garnish over the top.