Collins is a Chicago-based company that makes a variety of mixers, syrups, and garnishes — including Collins Collins Mix, of course — but what we’re concerning ourselves with here today is a holiday favorite: hot buttered rum batter.

I love hot buttered rum but it’s a chore to make ahead of time. Having a little jar of the stuff ready to go is perfect for the holidays, as mixing up a cocktail couldn’t be simpler: A bit of mix, rum, and hot water. Collins specifies spiced rum in its recipe, but I generally prefer hot buttered rum with well-aged dark rum instead. I tried it both ways, though (with Appleton Reserve and Bumbu). Thoughts follow.

Unsurprisingly, it’s best with regular rum. There’s a heavy clove and cinnamon note here that gets overpowering when spiced rum is added to the mix. Regular, aged rum keeps the spices in check and lets the brown butter and brown sugar do more of the talking. To be sure, Collins’ batter isn’t any better than you could make yourself, but it’s hard to complain about how easy it is to put together a cocktail using the stuff. At less than a buck per serving (even if you use a little extra mix than directed, which I recommend), it’s also a great value.

B+ / $9 (12 oz. jar, makes 12 drinks) / collinschicago.com [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]

Collins Hot Buttered Rum Mix

$9

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

BUY IT NOW

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Christopher Null

Christopher Null is the founder and editor in chief of Drinkhacker. A veteran writer and journalist, he also operates Null Media, a bespoke content creation company.

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