What Are the Most Common Rum Cocktails?
Chances are you can name a few of the most popular rum drinks right off the top of your head. While you can’t make a list of common rum cocktails without daiquiris and mai tais, there’s more to this far-reaching spirit than cocktail umbrellas and cabanas. From the rich flavor of the dark ‘n’ stormy to the light smoothness of a mojito, our list of popular rum drinks is sure to add some spice to your repertoire.
But beyond just the variation in flavors, mixers, and garnishes, there’s even variation within the type of rum in each drink, as well.
Common Rums for Popular Cocktails
How is rum made? Rum is made from molasses, which is fermented, distilled, and finally aged. This is what gives it a sweet taste, and why it lends itself so well to sugary drinks. However, there are several types of rum, all with slightly different applications.
Here are a few you should know about before setting sail on your mixed drink journey:1
- Dark rum
- Gold rum
- Light rum
- Spiced rum
- Premium rum
- Overproof rum
While most drinks on our cocktail recipes list are made with light rum (also called mixing rum), a couple of other favorites show up on this list of the eight most common rum cocktails.
#1 The Daiquiri
This is at the top of our list for a reason. The Daiquiri is a classic rum drink and can incorporate just about any fruit flavor you can think of. To make it in its simplest form, though, all you need are these three ingredients:
- White rum
- Lime juice
- Sugar or simple syrup
The first known purveyors of the daiquiri mixed rum and lime juice then poured it over ice cubes dusted with sugar. However, beachside cantinas typically serve it with crushed iced like a slushy—downright delicious.
#2 Piña Colada
One of the most iconic summer rum cocktails. From Spanish meaning “strained pineapple,” this Caribbean rum classic has captured the minds of dozens of songwriters and mixologists alike. Much like the daiquiri, the piña colada is most associated with its slushy form but is just as creamy and delicious over ice. Start singing its praises with these four ingredients:
- Light rum
- Coconut Cream
- Pineapple juice
- Pineapple wedges
#3 Dark ‘N’ Stormy
Hailing from the island of Bermuda, this highball classic rum cocktail is the first drink on our list to use a dark rum—Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, to be precise. Allegedly, it got its name from a sailor who said only a fool would travel under a cloud that dark.2 The best part? It only requires two ingredients:
- Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
- Ginger beer
#4 Mai Tai
While several drinks on this list fall into the ‘Tiki’ category, no drink exemplifies the spirit of the South Pacific quite like the mai tai. From the Tahitian word meaning “good” or “excellence,” this popular rum cocktail is best-served tart and strong. It features a few more ingredients than most drinks on this list, but it’s sure to get your tropical senses tingling nonetheless.
Whip this together using:
- Light rum
- Triple sec
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Amaretto
- Lemon, lime, or flower petals as garnish
#5 Mojito
Pull out your garden shears, because it’s time to start trimming the mint plant. This Cuban highball cocktail leaves a fresh impression on anyone who drinks it. With its light, citrusy flavors, mojitos are a hit in the summertime, but any season is the right one for this cocktail.
Many variations exist—including the blackberry and blueberry mojito—but here are the classic ingredients:
- Light rum
- Club soda
- Mint sprigs
- Sugar
- Lime wedge
#6 Hurricane
Born in New Orleans, this rum mixed drink has become practically synonymous with Mardi Gras. It’s sweet, festive, and has all the trappings of a great fruity cocktail. Discover a cocktail you can be passionate about in the Hurricane:
- Dark rum
- Light rum
- Passion fruit juice
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Simple syrup or sugar
- Grenadine
- Orange slice and cherry for garnish
#7 Painkiller
With a name like that, what more is there to say? This creamy concoction is the only drink on our list to call for ground spices. Bartenders often blend it into a slush, like most tiki and tropical drinks. What makes this cocktail special is the nutmeg combined with the vibrant fruity flavors of paradise—like spending Christmas in Hawaii.
Here’s what you’ll need for this unique creation:
- Pusser’s Rum
- Pineapple juice
- Orange juice
- Cream of coconut
- Ground nutmeg
#8 Cable Car
While many popular rum cocktails could have filled the final slot, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include the cable car on our list of the most common rum cocktails. This classic rum sour takes its name from the famous cable cars of San Francisco, where it was born. Plus, it’s one of the few rum drinks that calls for spiced rum!
Enjoy with just a few fresh ingredients:
- Spiced rum
- Lemon juice
- Curaçao
- Simple syrup
SLIQ Spirited Ice: Premium Daiquiris Without the Cocktail Shaker
No matter your preferred rum cocktail, there’s no denying the simple pleasure of a daiquiri.
At SLIQ, we’ve crafted our alcoholic ice pops with premium quality rum in three classic daiquiri flavors: coconut & lime, strawberry, and pineapple. Finally, you can enjoy the taste of your favorite cocktail as a rum ice pop without hopping on a flight to the Caribbean or even walking down the street to the bar on the corner. SLIQ is ready to go, right at home.
Sources:
- The Manual. Rum 101: An Enthusiast’s Guide to Understanding the Different Types of Rum. https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/types-of-rum-guide/
- Scuttlebutt Sailing News. The Story of the Dark ‘n Stormy Cocktail. https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2019/01/09/story-dark-n-stormy-cocktail/
