August 16, 2018 is National Rum Day. Celebrate this versatile spirit with us by making these cocktails — some sweet and unique, some traditional. Also try our Nutty Chocolate Rum Truffles; they’re the perfect pairing for any of these cocktails.

Havana Café
2 parts Havana Club Añejo Clásico Rum
1/4 part demerara sugar
3/4 part Martini and Rossi Rosso Vermouth
1/2 part cold brew coffee
garnish with lemon twist

Stir all ingredients with plenty of ice until very cold. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

Yogurt Piña Colada
from Elizabeth Wallace
1 cup milk
1 cup sliced pineapple
½ cup Skyr Islandic Yogurt (or Greek Yogurt)
½ cup low fat coconut milk
1 tsp. stevia/honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend all the ingredients together in the order that’s listed above. Pour into a piña colada glass over ice and serve.

Apple of the Captain’s Eye
1 part Captain Morgan Apple Smash rum
1 part cinnamon whiskey
ginger ale

Mix rum and whiskey in a rocks glass with ice. Top with ginger ale before serving.

Macualita
2 parts Flor de Caña 7 Year rum
1 part guava juice
1/2 part fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 part Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
1/5 part simple syrup
one dash orange bitters

Shake all of the ingredients and strain over ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with thin orange slices.

Miami Vice
1 1/2 oz. Blue Chair Bay Premium White Rum
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. cream of coconut
1/2 oz. strawberry liqueur
1 tsp. grenadine

Shake all ingredients except strawberry liqueur and grenadine. Strain into ice filled Collins glass. Pour in strawberry liqueur and grenadine.

Puerto Escondido
1 1/2 oz. Gustoso Aguardiente Rum
1 oz. La Luna Mezcal
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 tsp. toasted coconut
1 squeeze of fresh lime

Shake all ingredients with ice; then strain over ice into a large rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist and star anise.

C. M. Spiceberry
courtesy of barnonedrinks.com
1 1/4 oz. spiced rum
3 oz. strawberries
1 oz. coconut cream

Blend all ingredients in a blender with a scoop of crushed ice. Pour into a glass and serve with a straw. Garnish with a fresh strawberry if desired.

The Pineapple Hop (makes a pitcher)
courtesy of seriouseats.com

5 oz. white rum
5 oz. pineapple shrub
1 1/4 oz. orgeat
20 oz. India Pale Ale

Mix together white rum, pineapple shrub, and orgeat in a pitcher. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving or mix and refrigerate up to 24 hours in advance. When ready to serve, add beer to the pitcher and stir gently. Serve cocktails in ice-filled highball glasses. No garnish is necessary.

For the Pineapple Shrub:
1 medium fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Place the pineapple cubes in a clean, sterilized wide-mouth container. Cover with sugar and lightly crush the pineapples using a potato masher or muddler. Cover and refrigerate 10 hours. Strain fruit (discard or save for another use) and add apple cider vinegar to the liquid. Seal with lid and refrigerate for two weeks, shaking the mixture every other day. After two weeks, strain into a clean airtight container—you’ll have about 3 cups—and refrigerate. Strained shrub keeps up to 6 months.

Artichoke Hold
courtesy of moderntiki.com
3/4 oz. Smith and Cross rum
3/4 oz. Cynar
1/2 oz. St Germaine
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. Giffard orgeat
mint for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake vigorously until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Slap mint between the palms of your hands and garnish.

Rum makes dessert pleasantly decadent. Try out these Nutty Chocolate Rum Truffles. We promise you will love them.

Nutty Chocolate Rum Truffles
courtesy of The Food Channel
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into chunks
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup whipping cream
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. rum
2 Tbsp. solid vegetable shortening
6 oz. almonds, finely ground

Heat the whipping cream and butter together just to a simmer, then add chocolate. Remove from heat while chocolate melts. Add flavoring. Stir until glossy and pour into a chilled bowl. Set aside until firm.

Once firm, use a small melon baller and scoop anache out. Roll by hand and set aside.

Melt 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate with 2 Tbsp. solid vegetable shortening in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir until melted; microwave additional seconds as needed. Drop each ball individually into chocolate, roll with a fork until coated, then use the fork to lift out and place into a bowl with the finely ground almonds. Roll around until coated, then lift out and place on parchment. Chill and keep refrigerated.

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