Wednesday is National Rum Day, and the spiked occasion couldn't have come at a better time. One: It's been steamy lately. But also, summertime is the season of rum.
Check out the media gallery above or below for a round-up of rum cocktails, pulled from previous On the Sauce columns, that're meant to be enjoyed on Rum Day. Five made the cut, meaning you should sip one today — and every day thereafter through Sunday.
The timeless drink that is the daiquiri (a real one) is a top-five cocktail. Period. You can't upgrade perfection, but the addition of a little strawberry syrup puts an awesome local twist on this unfrozen tradition.
If getting a sous-vide gadget for Christmas and instantly wanting to experiment with liquor infusions makes me a cocktail nerd, I don't care. You can keep that water-bath bacon you cooked for 42 hours — I'll be over here whipping up bomb-ass creations in two. Besides, bacon is delicious in 15 minutes. Why complicate things? Anyhow, I don't even really dig banana, and this sipper is one of my musts for Rum Day. There's nothing else you need to know.
You know the saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention?" That sums of Finders Keepers. Although I'm not into the cocktail's name as much anymore, I stumbled upon this On the Sauce original while playing with some ingredients I had on hand. I don't know if I'd classify the recipe as a "necessity," but, well, fuck it. Yes, I would.
This classic cocktail is good. And the memory it conjures? Really good. The Old Cuban reminds me of a younger version of myself and the local Cuban sandwich shop I seemingly grew up in. It's one sipper I'd like to see more of on cocktail menus across Tampa Bay, too. Picture what is basically the sophisticated version of a mojito.
I don't know if the drink is an "original" or not. However, I do know that I tried a warm sample of Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum from Drum Circle Distilling at a CL event last year (it was Highball) and fell in love. The Sarasota distillery's spirit is totally legit, and the best flavored booze I've had in awhile. The Toasted Coconut Painkiller is a no-brainer spin on a celebrated tiki staple.
Connect with CL columnist Chris Fasick (@cfasick) on Twitter, or email him at [email protected] if there's a cocktail or recipe you'd like featured.
