Rum is a popular drink. It is ordered by restaurant guests regularly, and if you look on cocktail menus, you will find bartenders often making cocktails with this ingredient incorporated. Nonetheless, there are several different types of rum and rum-based drinks for you to choose from, so I’ve decided to tell you a bit more about them…
What are the different types of rum?
- Light Rum – This has a light flavour and barely any colour. You may also hear it referred to as silver or white rum. It is not aged for long and is filtered several times to get rid of impurities.
- Gold Rum – Gold rum has a sweet and rich flavour. It can also sometimes be called amber rum, thanks to its colour. This has been achieved through the process of aging the rum for a considerable period of time in wooden casks.
- Black Rum – Out of all four rum types, black rum – also called dark rum – has been aged for the longest. It has a smoky-sweet flavour that is very deep. The colour of the rum is dark, as you have probably gathered by the name, and this is because it has spent an extremely long time in a wooden cask.
- Spiced Rum – Finally, spiced rum is essentially like black rum however with caramel colouring and spices added to alter the flavour. The result is a style of rum with a very sweet and spicy signature taste.
What are some of the most famous rum cocktails?
- Mojito – A mojito is a cocktail that is really refreshing. It tends to be created with the use of light rum. This is mixed with sugar, soda water, lime and mint. The flavours are light, delicate and very fresh.
- Daiquiri – This is one of the easiest rum-based cocktails to make. All you need is three basic ingredients – syrup, lime juice and rum of course! Nowadays you can opt for different flavour daiquiris, such as strawberry, and a lot of establishments serve this drink frozen.
- Pina Colada – Pina colada instantly takes your mind to the beach. It is a tropical delight! Similarly to a mojito, light rum works best. Aside from rum, Pina colada includes coconut cream, pineapple juice and heavy cream.
- Caipirinha – This cocktail is simple yet bursting with flavour. Ingredients include rum, cachaça to be precise, which is a Brazilian version of rum, and sugar and muddle lime.
Hot Buttered Rum
You may have heard of Hot Buttered Rum before, after all it is a classic winter drink. When it comes to drinking rum at Christmas, this should definitely be a drink to consider! The traditional recipe features Dark Rum, Hot Water, Brown Sugar, Soft Butter and Vanilla Extract. A lot of people like to add spices for added taste, such as Ground Nutmeg and Ground Cinnamon.
The result is a drink that’s warm and comforting with lots of flavour. One sip of this cocktail instantly transports me to being around the fire with loved ones.
You may be wondering where this traditional cocktail originates from. As you probably know, rum is produced primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. Thus, it’s slightly surprising that it is the main ingredient in such a well-known and loved winter drink.
This rum cocktail originates in Europe. You may have heard it referred to as a ‘hot toddy’. It is in fact a drink that has been around for centuries, as people use it to fight illnesses and colds during the winter months. Actually, rum replaced brandy as the sailors’ daily ration when the British Royal Navy captured Jamaica in 1655.
This drink is often referred to as ‘comfort food in a mug’, thanks to the warm, spiced and softening attributes of the cocktail. Although it is worth noting that alcohol can cause acid reflux, and so it is good to have some acid reflux relief on hand.
Hopefully, you now have a better idea regarding this warm and comforting alcohol spirit. You will find this in a lot of drinks throughout the festive period. Why not have a go at creating your own sort of rum cocktail and serving it if you are having guests around during the festive period?
