It’s not that you ever need an excuse to drink rum. It’s just that August 16th is National Rum Day, so now more than ever it seems appropriate to break out a bottle and whip up rum cocktails. You could go traditional (think daiquri or an el presidente). You could go the tiki route — a zombie or mai tai usually does the trick. Or you could try riffing on a classic, by substituting rum into a manhattan, old fasioned or negroni.
Below, we’ve got a negroni variation made with Ron Zacapa 23, a full flavored Venezuelan rum that stands up nicely to the other bittersweet ingredients. It’s rich, delicious and easy to make, and it’s an overall welcome take on the original. Check out the recipe below.
Zacapa Rum Negroni
1 oz Zacapa Rum 23
2/3 oz sweet vermouth
1/3 oz Campari
1/3 oz Aperol
Stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
For something light and refreshing, try the easy-drinking cocktail below. With the new Captain Morgan Sherry Oak Finish Spiced Rum as its base, Grand Marnier as the sweetener and some fresh lime juice, it’s basically a rum daisy with a couple dashes of bitters for good measure.
Captain’s Invasion
1.25 oz Captain Morgan Sherry Oak Finish Spiced Rum
·25 oz Grand Marnier
·75 oz fresh lime juice
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Add all ingredients to an ice-filled rocks glass, and stir. Garnish with lime wedge.
For some more inspiration, check out any of these rum cocktails. You can’t go wrong, really. Happy holidays.
