Best Rum Cocktails: Top 10 Rum Cocktail Recipes

1. The Epicurean

An unexpected first place among our best rum cocktails? Indeed, the Epicurean is not a well-known rum cocktail. However, it’s a wonderfully original option, which makes excellent use of absinthe.

You’ll need the following ingredients to make it:

• 45 ml (1½ Oz) White Rum
• 4 Dashes Absinthe
• 1 Tbsp Maraschino Liqueur
• 7.5 ml (½ Oz) Lime Juice
• 2 Tsp Sugar
• 5 Basil Leaves

Simply shake all the ingredients with ice until cold and then strain it into a chilled cocktail glass. You can opt for white rum and caster sugar for a more refreshing experience. However, switching it to dark rum with brown sugar will create a more opulent and gourmand drink.

2. Classic Mojito

Nothing can quite beat a refreshing mojito at the height of summer. It’s the quintessential drink for hot weather that can be easily put together in a pitcher to enjoy with friends or simply made for yourself.

It consists of the following per serving:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) Rum
• 2 Limes
• 1 Tsp Sugar
• 15 Mint Leaves
• Soda or Sparkling Water

Juice half of the limes and pour it into a glass or pitcher. Add the sugar and mint and then start muddling them with a pestle. You’ll want to crush the mint as much as possible to extract all the juices. Using a mortar will be easier but you may lose some of the ingredients when transferring them back into a glass.

Fill the glass or pitcher with crushed ice and pour over the rum so it evenly distributes the mint leaves. Continue stirring as you top up with the soda water to taste. Slice up the other lime into wedges or wheels and add them to the drink along with extra mint as garnish.

Typically, a mojito is made with white rum and white sugar. As above, you can opt for dark rum – or even spiced rum – and brown sugar for a more flavoursome drink.

3. Piña Colada

Perfect for when caught in the rain, the piña colada is another summertime classic. And if you have half a brain, the song definitely came to your mind, too! Combining creamy coconut with zesty pineapple, it’s a balanced and juicy beverage.

You’ll need the following ingredients:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) Rum
• 120 ml (4 Oz) Pineapple Juice
• 60 ml (2 Oz) Coconut Cream
• 1 Pineapple Wedge

Throw all of the ingredients in a blender with ice and pulse until smooth. Pour it into a large glass and garnish with the pineapple. A piña colada is best made with white rum. Some dark or gold rums are possible but they tend to be a little too savoury.

4. Dark & Stormy

Like the opening of a story, it’s one of the simplest cocktails that you can throw together when you need something refreshing!

You’ll just need the following to make it:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) Dark Rum
• Ginger Beer
• 1 Lime Wedge

Simply pour the rum over ice into a highball and top up with ginger beer to taste. Squeeze in some of the lime and then leave the wedge as garnish. We’d recommend darker rums with a Dark & Stormy to best compliment the ginger beer’s flavours.

5. Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is another classic cocktail that combines the flavours of rum and lime. It’s a very simple cocktail that requires very few ingredients to make:

It requires just the following:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) White Rum
• 30 ml (1 Oz) Lime Juice
• 15 ml (½ Oz) Sugar Syrup

Shake all of the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. It’s best made with white rum, which provides a cleaner flavour to contrast the rum. However, young gold rums may work as well.

6. Mai Tai

A little more complicated to make and with a greater number of ingredients, the Mai Tai is a rewarding beverage none the less. On this occasion, you’ll have the opportunity to combine the qualities of both white and dark rum.

It requires these ingredients:

• 45 ml (1½ Oz) White Rum
• 20 ml (¾ Oz) Orange Curaçao
• 20 ml (¾ Oz) Lime Juice
• 15 ml (½ Oz) Orgeat
• Optional: 15 ml (½ Oz) Dark Rum
• Lime Wheel
• Mint Sprig

Lightly shake the white rum, curaçao, lime juice, and orgeat together with crushed ice then pour into a large tumbler. Traditionally, you’ll gently pour in the dark rum so it floats at the top. However, you can forego it if you prefer something lighter.

Afterwards, garnish with the lime wheel and mint sprig.

7. Hot Buttered Rum

Although best associated with summer cocktails, rum is a great winter ingredient as well. The hot buttered rum dates back to the colonial era and is a warming drink that showcases its potential in a gourmand mixture.

It requires the following to make:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) Dark Rum
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Dash Ground Cinnamon
• ½ Dash Nutmeg
• 1 Dash Allspice
• Vanilla Pod
• Cinnamon Stick
• Hot Water

Open the vanilla pod and empty a mug or glass that can withstand hot temperatures. You can also use extract or powdered vanilla if it’s easier. Add the spices, sugar, and butter and muddle with a pestle. Add the rum and then top it up with hot water to taste.

Stir until the butter has melted into the contents and then add the cinnamon stick to garnish.

8. Strawberry Mojito

An absolutely wonderful variant of the classic mojito, the strawberry version is a fruity alternative that offers a richly-flavoured experience. Like the classic mojito, it can be prepared as a pitcher or single drink.

It consists of the following per serving:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) Rum
• 2 Limes
• 1 Tsp Sugar
• 15 Mint Leaves
• 8 Ripe Strawberries
• Soda or Sparkling Water

On this occasion, you’ll muddle the strawberries with the mint, sugar, and lime juice. Therefore, they need to be ripe so that they easily desintegrate under pressure. You can also reduce the amount of sugar to emphasise the strawberry’s sour flavour.

Add crushed ice and either stir heavily to evenly distribute the strawberries or lightly so it appears darker at the bottom. Pour over the white rum and continue stirring as you top up with soda water. Garnish with an additional strawberry, mint sprigs, lime wheels or wedges.

On this occasion, we suggest white rum as dark rum will may be too heavy with the strawberries. You can also forego the rum entirely as it makes for an excellent mocktail!

9. Cuba Libre

We’re not going to lie, it’s a fancy name for a glorified rum and coke. However, there’s a reason that it became so popular among the armed forces besides The Andrew Sisters.

You’ll just need the following:

• 60 ml (2 Oz) Rum
• 120 ml (4 Oz) Coca-Cola
• 1 Lime

Juice half of the lime and place at the bottom of a tall glass. Add ice and pour in the rum before topping up with the Coca-Cola. Stir gently and add the remaining lime cut into wedges as garnish.

You can either opt for white rum for a more refreshing beverage or use dark or spiced rum for fuller, rounder flavours.

10. Long Island Iced Tea

The celebrated Long Island Iced Tea is known as being a recipe of both fun memories and regretful blackouts. It’s basically a Cuba Libre on steroids that is loaded with other alcoholic spirits. Like other cocktails here, it can be served in a pitcher or a single glass.

You’ll need the following shopping list per serving:

• 15 ml (½ Oz) Rum
• 15 ml (½ Oz) Vodka
• 15 ml (½ Oz) Gin
• 15 ml (½ Oz) Tequila
• 15 ml (½ Oz) Triple Sec
• 30 ml (1 Oz) Lime Juice
• Coca-Cola
• Lime

Add all of the alcohol to the bottom of a glass or pitcher. If you opt for dark rum, we suggest extending its complexity with reposado tequila. Add the lime juice and stir before topping up with ice, Coca-Cola to taste, and then garnishing with the lime cut into wedges.

What Next?

Now that you have read about the best rum cocktails, why don’t you check out some of our related rum guides?

• What Is Rum?
• Best Rum Brands
• How Rum Is Made
• Different Types Of Rum
• What Is Rum Made From?
• Best Spirit & Liquor Glassware
• Alcoholic Spirit Homepage