The Versatility of Rum

by ,

The Versatility of Rum

I believe most people think of rum cocktails as being sweet, light, and tropical. Maybe that is because rum plays so well with ingredients like pineapple and coconut, and there are so many tiki drinks that have been created and have really helped to define the category. But rum can also work in iconic cocktails like the Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or even a Boulevardier!!

While these classic cocktails are traditionally made with whiskey, I find that RUM can be a perfect substitution for them and make for a wonder fully complex drink. My first experience with switching out traditional spirits in well-known drinks was in Texas about 5 years ago. I was consulting for a restaurant there that had over 100 different Tequilas and Mezcals.

The bartenders and I decided to make a Reposado Old Fashioned (instead of the standard Bourbon) and it turned out fantastic. We also made a “Kentucky Margarita”, using bourbon in place of Tequila in a Margarita, and again, success!! From then on I began playing with this idea with ALL cocktail recipes……

 French 75, Sidecar- -and I have to say, more often than not it works and you end up with a new, fun twist on a classic drink.

RUM especially works in drinks that call for whiskey. Now as we all know, whiskey is distilled from any number of grains (depending on where in the world the whiskey is made) - - Corn, Barley, Wheat, Rye, etc…. And Rum is distilled from some form of Sugar….. But rum that has been aged takes on such deep flavors of the barrel it has aged in that it can jump right into the place of whiskey and the result is a rich and unique  cocktail. I highly encourage you to take your favorite whiskey cocktail and try it with an aged rum instead! Keep in mind that not all rums are equal….so using a Barbados rum will give you a completely different outcome than a Cuban rum. (My suggestion: buy many different rums and get creative!!) Here are a couple of ideas for you to start with.

RUM MANHATTAN

• 2 oz. Mt. Gay Black Barrel

• 1 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

• 2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters

Stir with ice until very cold, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a cherry. 

The Mt. Gay Black Barrel is finished in bourbon casks and the dashes or orange bitters help to bring out the natural citrus and spice notes from the rum and the vermouth.

OLD FASHIONED

• 2 oz. Ron Zacapa 23

• 1 barspoon Demerara Sugar

• 3 dashes Fee Brother’s Old Fashioned Bitters

• Orange Peel

In a short glass, add the sugar, orange peel, and bitters. Muddle all together so that the oils from  the orange mix with the sugar and bitters and create a “syrup”. Add the rum and stir well. Top with ice and enjoy!

NEGRONI / BOULEVARDIER

These two vintage cocktails are made with three ingredients:

Campari, Sweet Vermouth, and either Gin or Bourbon, respectively. I don’t believe there is a name for one made with Rum, but it may be my favorite of the three.

• 1 oz. Denizen Merchant ’s Reserve

• 1 oz. Campari

• 1 oz. Noilly Pratt Sweet Vermouth

Build all three ingredients in a tall glass, stir well, and fill with ice. Zest the peel of an orange over the top and leave in for aromatics and a wonderful color contrast. The rum works beautifully with the bittersweet flavors of the Campari and Vermouth for a complex yet refreshing drink.

-Article written by Cris Dehlavi, The Muse of Mixology- 

My name is Cris Dehlavi and I am a native of Arizona, but have lived in Columbus, Ohio for the past 13 years with my daughter, Desi. I have been running the bar program at “M”, of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant group since 2005. I am currently the President of Columbus USBG as well as a consultant for bars and restaurants nationally. In 2013, I attended the rigorous B.A.R. 5 Day Spirits Certification and have been recognized as one of the top mixologists in the U.S.A. I am one of the senior managers of the prestigious apprentice program at Tales of the Cocktail and work as a mentor to many bar tenders around Ohio. My contribution to Got Rum ? magazine will include everything from reviews of national cocktail events, articles on mixology, garnish trends, recipes and techniques, to interviews with some of the leading bartenders in the industry.