Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Make cocktails with rum
• Method 2 of 3: Enjoy rum pure
• Method 3 of 3: Add rum to hot drinks
• Warnings

Rum is a drink distilled from sugar cane or the by-product molasses. It is aged in steel, oak or burnt oak barrels to create a light, gold or dark rum, respectively. Rum often comes from the Caribbean and South America and it is a very versatile drink that combines well with other drinks or can be drunk neat. There are many ways to serve this drink, so try some of them to see what you prefer.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Make cocktails with rum

1. Try a simple mixed drink. Mix rum with only 1 other drink, such as soda. This is an easy way to enjoy any type of rum. It is also a drink that can be made in just about any bar in the world.
   • Go for a classic rum with cola. Start with about 5 cl of light or dark rum and add cola to taste. Pour over ice, garnish with a slice of lime and serve.
   • Try a spicier mixed drink called Dark 'n' Stormy. Fill a Highball glass with ice, add 2 shots of Gosling's Black Seal Rum and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a slice of lime and serve. (Note that Gosling Brother's Ltd. has trademarked this drink's name, so legally it must be made with Gosling's rum.)
2. Make a mojito. Try a classic rum-based mojito cocktail. Use light rum, mint leaves, lime, sugar and sparkling water for this refreshing drink.
   • Place several slices of lime and fresh mint leaves in a glass and mash them together if desired to loosen the flavors. Add ice and 5 cl of light rum. Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water and then stir in sugar to taste.
   • Try adding other fruit flavors to a mojito, such as strawberries or pineapple. Do this by adding fresh fruit or juice.
3. Go the fruity side with a daiquiri. Prepare a daiquiri by mixing light rum with fresh lime juice and simple sugar syrup. In addition to the basic ingredients, you can use just about all types of fruit for this drink.
   • Use the same recipe of 5 cl of light rum, 2 cl of fresh lime juice and 1 cl of simple sugar syrup with fruits such as banana, strawberries, pineapple, etc.
   • Place a layer of brown sugar on the rim of the glass and a fresh slice of the fruit you used for the daiquiri; this is how this drink is presented as standard. Serve in a martini glass without ice.
4. Try a more complex Mai Tai. Make a Mai Tai by using some different ingredients from the previous rum-based cocktails. Use Orgede - a sugar syrup based on almonds - and orange curacao - a liqueur made from dried orange peel - to prepare this refreshing drink.
   • Mix 5 cl of brown rum with 2 cl of fresh lime juice, 1 cl of simple sugar syrup, 1 cl of orange curacao and 1 cl of orgeade and pour on ice. Finish with a slice of lime and a mint leaf.
   • If you don't have the specific ingredients for this cocktail at hand, you can replace the orgeat with cheaper almond-based sugar syrup and choose triple sec instead of orange curacao.

Method 2 of 3: Enjoy rum pure

1. Buy a good quality rum. Always choose a quality "rum to drink" and enjoy it without ice and without adding anything else. Look for bottles from the Bahamas or South America for more traditional varieties.
   • Look for higher quality light rums by avoiding flavored or too strong varieties, such as Bacardi 151. This type of drink has an alcohol content of 75% or more, instead of the usual 40%.
   • Look for higher quality gold rums by avoiding brands that add artificial dyes to achieve the traditional amber color. Although alcohol producers are not required to list the ingredients, you can usually count on the rums of higher-end brands not to have been tinted.
   • Look for higher quality dark rum by choosing a more expensive variety. For spiced rums, avoid the cheaper brands that simply darken light rums. You want a golden or dark rum infused with spices such as anise, cinnamon, pepper, and rosemary.
2. Drink rum slowly. Pour rum to drink neat into a small glass. Heat the glass in your hands and drink it slowly to fully enjoy the taste.
   • Smell the rum from a distance so you don't damage your nose and take small sips to let the flavor spread all over your tongue.
   • Drink pure rum at room temperature or with ice if you prefer.
3. Try a unique rum such as a rhum agricole or cachaça. Look for special alternatives to traditional rum if you're looking for a new experience. Rhum agricole and cachaça only use freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, giving them a completely different taste from traditional rum.
   • These "pure" types of rum are considered special because they use fresh sugarcane juice instead of molasses and add virtually no other ingredients during production.
   • Try rhum agricole or cachaça pure to experience the full flavor. Cachaça is also commonly used for Caipirinha, a cocktail popular in Brazil, where cachaça is the national drink.

Method 3 of 3: Add rum to hot drinks

1. Try warm rum with butter. Enjoy the flavors of heated rum in this simple drink. Use a variety of spices and butter to impart a rich flavor to the rum.
   • Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves with butter. Place in a cup with 6 cl of dark rum and top up with warm water.
   • Try a creamy version of this drink by adding heated milk to the mixture in place of or in addition to the water.
2. Add rum to hot chocolate or coffee. Prepare your favorite coffee drink or a classic hot chocolate and then add 2-5 cl of rum to give it some spice.
   • Use a package to make hot chocolate or make your own by heating whole milk and then adding rum and bitter chocolate or chocolate powder.
   • Add rum to freshly brewed strong coffee, including espresso drinks such as an Americano or a latte. Add sugar or another sweetener to taste.
3. Make a rum hot toddy. Use rum to prepare a traditional hot toddy. Add honey and spices to this classic warming drink with medicinal properties.
   • Mix 2 cl of rum with spices, 1 tablespoon of honey and a quarter of a lemon in warm water and stir to melt the honey. Add cinnamon sugar to taste.
   • Replace spiced rum with a golden or dark rum if you prefer, and add more of your own fresh spices and garnishes, such as orange zest.

Warnings

• Always enjoy alcoholic drinks responsibly and in moderation. The legal drinking age is 21 in the US and 18 in Europe.