Recipe Roundup

23 Rum Drinks to Get You in a Summer Mood

These recipes will help your favorite bottle shine.
23 Rum Drinks to Get You in a Summer Mood
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano

You probably know that rum loves bright lime and aromatic mint, rich coconut and spicy ginger beer. But chances are you haven't tried all the rum drinks below, and you just might find a new favorite flavor combination when you branch out. Rum can heighten bitter drinks made with Campari and Cynar and hold its own in cocktails both stirred and shaken (and frozen). Scroll down for 23 ways to make the most of that bottle on your bar cart—and reasons to grab a few different types of rum the next time you hit the liquor store.

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  • Two jungle bird cocktails made with black strap rum campari and pineapple in a rocks glasses.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    1/23

    Jungle Bird

    When people ask us to recommend rum drinks, this one is first to come to mind. It's refreshing and juicy, thanks to a pour of bitter Campari and fresh pineapple juice in the mix. Do not let another week go by without trying one.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    2/23

    Classic Daiquiri

    The best daiquiris aren't found from a slushie machine on spring break. Using just three ingredients (and some upper arm strength), you can make your own—and make them amazing.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    3/23

    Piña Colada

    This classic summer cocktail can be made with a variety of rums—or try layering in a combination of the bottles you have for more complex flavor. Whether you make a standard piña colada with rum and cream of coconut or a riff with sherry, this rich poolside drink will be a hit.

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  • Photo by Noah Fecks
    4/23

    Ti' Punch

    If you're getting into rhum agricole, which is distilled from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses, start with this classic way to drink it. As bartender and author Shannon Mustipher explains, serving it with ice “is considered sacrilege."

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano
    5/23

    Mojito

    You might think of mojitos as a muddled rum-based drink, but bruising the mint can lead to acrid flavors. Just tearing and stirring the leaves into the drink will give you plenty of fresh flavor. You'll stir just a moment more after adding the club soda, so you don't lose the fizz.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    6/23

    Dark and Stormy

    Dark rum and spicy ginger beer are perfect partners in this easy sipper. Goslings has since trademarked the name Dark ’n Stormy; use their Black Seal rum if you want to keep things official. Before serving, squeeze in a lime wedge for a bit of brightness.

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  • Photo by Zachary James Johnston
    7/23

    Attitude Adjustment

    A touch of beer can cut down the sweetness of a cocktail. This drink adds in lime juice, herbal green Chartreuse, and a touch of simple syrup, plus Matusalem Clasico Rum from the Dominican Republic.

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  • Photo by Andy Sewell
    8/23

    Queens Park Swizzle

    If you don’t have a swizzle stick to make this cocktail, you can use a bar spoon to churn the drink, rotating the handle by rubbing your hands back and forth again. Don't skip the spicy Angostura bitters on top.

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  • Photo by Jordan Hughes
    9/23

    Rum Club Daiquiri

    Our digital director adores this fragrant take on the daiquiri, which pairs aged rum with fresh lime juice, rich demerara syrup, maraschino liqueur, and a touch of absinthe.

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  • Photo by Lizzie Munro
    10/23

    Rosemary Mojito

    You'll swap out the herbs in this rosemary-laced take on the classic minty rum cocktail, and use rich blackstrap rum instead of the lighter white rum usually called for in a mojito. The result is rich and flavorful, and while it's named for cooler weather, we also like this version with grilled food in the summer.

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  • Photo by Noah Fecks
    11/23

    Royal Dock Cooler

    This easy rum punch from bartender Shannon Mustipher's book Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails gets its layers of flavor from pot still rum, Earl Grey tea (which has hints of bergamot), plus fresh grapefruit and a quick pineapple syrup. 

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  • Photo by Noah Fecks
    12/23

    New Age Church Punch

    This hibiscus rum punch with ground ginger, roasted pineapple, and lime comes from Nicole A. Taylor's The Up South Cookbook. Scoops of lime sorbet make it extra-festive.

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  • Photograph by Kelly Puleio
    13/23

    Tingly Pomegranate Rum Punch

    The tingles in this rum punch come from an easy infusion: Just slip two tablespoons of Sichuan peppercorns in your bottle of rum, and you'll have a fabulous drink ingredient to combine with fresh lime and pomegranate juice.

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  • Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
    14/23

    Mai Tai

    This classic drink is best with a mix of rums, paired with fresh lime juice, nutty orgeat, and orange curaçao. (Like you need an excuse to buy more rum!)

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