As a college student, I have heard the phrase "well, it's 5 o'clock somewhere" used more times than I can count. Along with being used as an excuse to justify the fine art of day drinking, this phrase brings to mind the thought of white sand, steel drums, and lots of rum. Being born and raised in south Florida, I grew up around a slew of rum cocktails, whose names varied almost as much as their ingredients and ranged from the classic rum and Coke to a Hurricane.
Rum cocktails are the backbone of each bar's menu, and it's no surprise since rum comes in many different varieties. The most well-known rums are white, gold, dark, and spiced. Each type has a different flavor profile; white rum is more suited to fruity drinks, while dark rum is traditionally used in drinks with more of a bite to them.
Being able to create a slew of cocktails without having to constantly reference Pinterest is a skill that one needs to master before graduation. Without further ado, here is a list of 10 classic rum cocktails to know before you graduate.
1. Daiquiri
A proper rum daiquiri is perfect for sipping on a beach during Spring Break, and it also provides a decent amount of hydration. This drink's base is a combination of white rum, simple syrup, and lime juice; you can easily add in extras like strawberries to create almost any flavor of daiquiri.
2. Piña Colada
Are you not into yoga? Do you enjoy getting caught in the rain? If so, this combination of frozen pineapple, white rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream might be right up your alley. A Piña Colada is perfect for a sunny day spent on the water with ones you love.
3. Dark 'N' Stormy
Much as the name suggests, this drink isn't for the faint of heart and is best suited for a day that's a little dark and stormy. This simple combination of ginger beer, lime juice, and dark rum is definitely easier to make than it is to drink. The ginger beer brings out the bite in the dark rum, leading to a very flavorful cocktail that'll clear your sinuses.
4. El Floridita
Sometimes called the Hemingway Daiquiri — after the famed author and alcohol connoisseur Ernest Hemingway — this drink will transport you down to Cuba in the blink of an eye. It's simply made with white rum, lime juice, and maraschino, and the flavors perfectly complement each other while masking the bite of the white rum.
5. Mojito
This drink is probably one of the more well-known rum cocktails, and it has more variations than it has ingredients. The limes, mint, and sugar are muddled together before being topped with soda water and white rum. A mojito is perfect for any occasion, no matter the weather.
6. Hurricane
One sip of this drink and you'll instantly feel as if you're on Bourbon Street in the middle of New Orleans. Containing dark rum, white rum, grenadine, and lemon juice, the Hurricane might just blow you over.
#SpoonTip: There are many different variations of the Hurricane.
7. Mai Tai
This is the perfect drink to show off your bartending skills, and it looks impressive despite being decently easy to make. Combining white rum, dark rum, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup, and lime juice, a Mai Tai is perfect for a relaxing afternoon, no matter the place.
8. Planter's Punch
One of the more complicated drinks, Planter's Punch combines dark rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, grenadine syrup, sugar syrup, and Angostura bitters. Just throw all the ingredients in a shaker with some ice, and top the drink with sliced fruit to instantly have a drink straight out of the Caribbean.
9. The Zombie
The final ingredient in this drink is enough to turn anyone into a zombie. Combining Puerto Rican gold rum, Jamaican rum, Demerara rum, grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup, Velvet Falernum, lime juice, grenadine, angostura bitters, and absinthe, a Zombie packs a punch.
10. Long Island Iced Tea
There is a 100% chance the bartender will ID you if you order this drink. A Long Island Iced Tea combines tequila, vodka, white rum, triple sec, gin, lemon juice, gomme syrup, and Coke. It's a mixed bag of flavors, but you definitely won't taste the rum.
If you're able to master these 10 rum cocktails by the time you toss your cap in the air, you won't only be prepared for adulthood, you'll also be the life of the party.