While we don’t usually make it our business to tell you that one spirit is better than another when it comes to summer drinking, there’s an argument to be made for rum as the true hero of the warmer months. This is especially true when it comes to mixed drinks. There are great, refreshing vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey-based cocktails, but there’s something special about a classic, flavorful rum-based cocktail on a hot, sunny summer day.
In my years of writing about alcohol, I’ve been lucky enough to imbibe my fair share of rum-based drinks. I understand the prowess of this aged (or un-aged) sugarcane-based spirit when it comes to warm-weather mixology.
Why is rum great for summery cocktails?
If you’re new to the alcohol world, rum is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice or sugarcane molasses. After distillation, it can be bottled immediately or matured in wooden barrels for months or years.
Since there are many different types of rum, the spirit’s flavor can vary widely from grassy, funky, and earthy to fruity and dry to vanilla, caramel, and oaky sweet. Whether it’s a white rum, dark rum, Agricole rhum, or even a spiced rum, this spirit is versatile, balanced, and flavorful enough to stand out in any summery cocktail. It definitely won’t get lost in the shuffle.
The history of rum drinks
Like many spirits, rum has a long and storied history. Intertwined with the Caribbean (and still produced on many of its islands to this day) and the sugar trade, rum has been made since the 17th century.
The history of rum cocktails can be traced back to the 18th century, when members of the British Royal Navy began mixing water, rum, and lime juice to make what was referred to as “grog.” This was a way to both fight scurvy (with the citrus) and make their daily rum rations more flavorful. As the years went on, more rum-based drinks were created, including the iconic Daiquiri, Mojito, and more.
Classic rum-based cocktails
Now that you’ve learned a little about the prowess of rum during the summer months and got a handle on its history, it’s time to actually find some cocktails to add to your warm weather repertoire. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite rum-based cocktails to mix up between June and September (and the rest of the year, for that matter). Keep scrolling to see the drinks, the ingredients, and learn step-by-step instructions to make each one at home.
Mojito
Ingredients:
- 2 oz white rum
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- 8-9 fresh mint leaves
- Club soda topper
- Lime wheel
Method: Add mint leaves and simple syrup to a Highball glass. Gently muddle to combine and release the herbal flavors and oils. Add ice, rum, and lime juice. Top with club soda and gently stir to combine everything. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Daiquiri
Ingredients:
- 2 oz white rum
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- Lime wheel
Method: Add ice to a shaker. Pour in the white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with lime wheel.
El Presidente
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz gold rum
- 3/4 oz dry vermouth
- ½ ounce triple sec
- 1-2 dashes grenadine
- Orange twist
- Cocktail cherry
Method: Add ice to a cocktail mixing glass. Pour in the gold rum, dry vermouth, triple sec, and 1-2 dashes of grenadine to the cocktail mixing glass. Stir gently to combine. Strain it into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist and a cocktail cherry.
Dark ‘N’ Stormy
Ingredients:
- 2 oz dark rum (the classic drink is made with Gosling’s Black Seal)
- ½ oz of fresh lime juice
- Ginger beer topper
- Lime wheel
Method: Add ice to a Highball glass. Layer in the ginger beer, leaving a few inches at the top of the glass for the rest of the ingredients. Add lime juice before gently adding dark rum to the very top. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Cuba Libre
Ingredients:
- 2 oz dark rum
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- Cola topper
- Lime wheel
Method: Add ice to a Highball glass. Pour in the dark rum fresh lime juice to the glass. Top with cola. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Bottom line
If you haven’t figured out yet that rum is arguably the best summer spirit to mix with, I’m not sure what else to say. Buy a bottle of light rum and a bottle of dark rum. Grab some simple syrup, mint leaves, limes, and some other ingredients like cola and ginger beer and you’ll be all set for an epic summer. It couldn’t be simpler. Make summer 2025, the summer of rum.
