10 Crave-Worthy Cocktails That Prove Rum is More-Than-Alright
August is basically the Sunday of summer… Okay, this has been all over Instagram recently, and TBH it’s giving us major anxiety. Summer is fading fast, and before we know it, we’ll be sipping on PSLs and breaking out all the festive fall fashion. But until then, let’s soak up the sunshine and celebrate a spirit that’s synonymous with summer on National Rum Day (that’s today, August 16th, in case you were wondering!).
Bourbon bars and tequila tipples have been taking over the wedding world in recent years, but rum is still a rad choice for brides and grooms who want their guests to have a blast at their bash. No matter what the season, having a rum-ripe drink in hand can make anyone let go of inhibitions, relax and have a great time in honor of the ‘I Dos.’ And by far, wedding planners and event enthusiasts agree that there’s nothing more versatile and pleasing for all palates than a signature rum cocktail.
“We’ll bring mojito bars to weddings with different flavor spins: mango, coconut, berry and classic lime and mint,” says Amy Shey Jacobs, Founder & Creative Director of NYC-based
Chandelier Events. “Moreover, for the guests who love a Moscow Mule, a Dark & Stormy made with ginger beer and black rum is a perfect pick to add to the roster!”
Don’t take our word for it, though, scroll through the double-tap-worthy photos below to light up your libation libidos…
For the couple who thinks life’s a beach
1944 Mai Tai
No signature drink can hold a [tiki] torch to the classic Mai Tai. This sunset-swirled cocktail is definitively destination-wedding appropriate and perfect for nuptials near the beach. Just ask Trader Vic’s, the OG mixologists behind the iconic recipe - they know a thing or two about trendy sips, and even recommend gifting guests with the glassware, which we think is an awesome favor idea!
1944 Mai Tai
½ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Lime Juice
¼ oz Rock Candy
½ oz Orgeat
¾ oz Orange Curacao
2 oz Royal Amber Rum
Deep Ocean
And for those who want to embrace the tiki trend without going totally mainstream, these “break the mold of the typical ‘fruity beach drink’ that people tend to associate with Rum,” says Liquid Lab NYC co-founder Parker Boase who has helped dozens of couples conceptualize creative signature drinks for their big days. “Tiki cocktails are back on the rise and they’re one of our favorite styles to work with as they use a lot of fresh ingredients and over-the-top garnishes.”
Deep Ocean
2 oz. Light Rum
1.5 oz. Suntory Blue liqueur
1 oz. Pomegranate Juice
½ oz. lime juice
½ oz. Orgeat syrup
5 dashes of Peychaud's bitters
Pour pomegranate juice over an iced Hurricane glass. Combine Light Rum, Blue liqueur, lime juice, Orgeat and shake well. Strain carefully over pomegranate juice in Hurricane glass and then layer dashes of Peychaud’s bitters on surface of drink. Garnish with skewered cherries (3), lemon wheel & pineapple leaves (2).
Road Runner
1 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz. White Rum
1 oz. Pear Nectar
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz. Pineapple Syrup
2 Dashes of Celery Bitters
2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Add all ingredients to Shaker and Shake vigorously, strain over fresh ice into decorative tiki glass, top with crushed ice (if available) and hit the top with a couple of extra dashes of angostura for color. Garnish with Fresh Mint, Lime, and Cherry.
Figgy Smalls
2 oz. Dark Rum
1 Spoon of Fig Preserves
½ oz. Cherry Herring
1.0 oz. Pineapple Juice
½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
Ginger Beer
Add 1 Spoon of Fig Preserves, add remaining ingredients (with the exception of the ginger beer) to shaker and shake vigorously so the preserves work throughout the cocktail. Strain over fresh ice into decorative mug. Top with a splash of Ginger Beer, garnish with a cherry and fresh pineapple.
For the couple with his and hers mojitos in mind
Blueberry Mint Mojito
Mojitos have been having more than a moment in the I Do industry, and it makes sense because they taste uh-mazing and are so smart for wedding party-goers (because they keep breath in check - you never know if a wedding hookup is in your future… and their usual colorless nature make them great for anyone prone to stains). Not to mention, men and women, alike, love em’.
We’re big fans of fruit-infused mojitos like these imagined by on-demand liquor delivery service, Minibar. Check it!
4 mint leaves
Blueberries
½ teaspoon sugar
2 oz light rum
½ oz lime juice
Club soda
Muddle blueberries, mint leaves, and sugar. Add ice, rum, lime juice, and club soda. Stir and garnish with blueberries and mint.
Strawberry Lemon Mojito (AKA the Blushing Bride)
And for soon-to-be weds who want to offer something sweet without sending guests on a sugar high, Be Mixed Co-Founder Cristina Ros Blankfein suggests lightening things up. “We love that our mojitos are half the calories and have zero added sugar as compared to the typical mojito, which has over 200 calories and 6 teaspoons of sugar.”
Strawberry Lemon Mojito (AKA the Blushing Bride)
4 oz. Be Mixed Cucumber Mint
2 oz. gold or aged rum
4 lemon wedges
6 mint leaves,
4 mint sprigs (for garnish -- optional)
2 fresh strawberries, plus 1 halved strawberry (again, for garnish)
1.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the lemon wedges with the whole strawberries and mint leaves. Add ice, the Be Mixed mixer, rum and lemon juice. Shake well and strain into crushed ice-filled highball glasses. Garnish with the berry halves and mint sprigs.
Spiced Rum Pear Mojito (AKA Gentleman’s Spice)
Spiced Rum Pear Mojito (AKA Gentleman’s Spice)
2 oz. Be Mixed Cucumber Mint
1.5 oz. spiced rum
2 mint sprigs
3 lime wedges
3 pear slices
Soda water
Muddle mint, limes and pears. Pour in Be-Mixed mixer and rum. Shake well. Pour into glass over ice and top off with soda water.
For the couple who likes to bring the bubbly
Seaside 75
Champagne - or the wedding didn’t happen, right? For brides and grooms who want to rage on with rum, but want to elevate the elixir all the more, just add some bubbles! Cristen Faherty, the Owner & Creative Director of Cristen & Co, makes sure every couple she works with has a signature drink they’re proud to serve. One of her favorites is a take on the traditional gin-based French 75.
Seaside 75
1 oz. fresh blood orange juice
1 oz. rum
4 oz. sparkling wine/prosecco
Combine blood orange juice and rum in the bottom of a martini glass. Slowly pour the sparkling wine over top. Garnish with a blood orange wheel, if desired.
The Blueberry Sparkler
2 oz. light rum
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Champagne or sparkling wine Mint leaves, lime wheel, blueberries
Muddle blueberries and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add rum, lime juice and simple syrup and shake. Pour into a glass with ice and top with champagne. Garnish with lime wheel, mint leaves, and extra blueberries.
For the couple with a penchant for punch-ish
Fraise au Chocolat
Rum plus chocolate and strawberries makes for an insanely romantic cocktail - of the self-served variety. Stowe Mountain Lodge’s master bartender and beverage manager, Colin Nohl, notes that chocolate mint, homegrown in your own herb garden, offers such a personalized finishing touch. Their own recipe combines chocolate mint (from their garden), strawberries and tropical juices for a refreshing punch that can be made alcoholic or virgin.
Fraise au Chocolat (for one large punch bowl)
1 Cup Dark Rum (Myers or Gosling)
24 oz. cranberry juice
48 oz. pineapple juice
12 oz. strawberry puree
2 Cups Light Rum (Flor de Cana or Bacardi)
Muddled Chocolate Mint
6 Sliced Strawberries
Edible Pansies (create a fun, eye-catching garnish)
Large Ice Blocks (keep the beverage cool without diluting it too quickly)
24 oz. Sprite
5 scoops mango sorbet (add mango sorbet and Sprite just before serving for a rich, creamy texture)
We discovered Brooke Lark AKA Cheeky Kitchen on Unsplash and we can't get enough!