Dark Rum cocktails
11 classic recipes from our canon that use dark rum — Dark Rum sits in our spirits shelf.
Mai Tai
Two rums, orange, almond and lime — the tiki benchmark, not a fruit-punch slushie.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml triple sec
- ◆15 ml orgeat
- ◆30 ml lime juice
- ◆7 ml simple syrup
- ◆30 ml dark rum
Method
- 1Shake white rum, triple sec, orgeat and lime with crushed ice.
- 2Pour unstrained into a rocks glass.
- 3Float the dark rum over the top.
PRO TIP
A real Mai Tai is rum-forward and barely sweet — orgeat is the almond note.
Garnish — Mint sprig and spent lime shell
Zombie
Three rums, falernum and citrus with a hidden kick — the most notorious tiki drink of them all.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆45 ml white rum
- ◆30 ml spiced rum
- ◆20 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml falernum
- ◆10 ml grapefruit juice
- ◆5 ml cinnamon syrup
- ◆5 ml grenadine
- ◆1 dash angostura bitters
- ◆6 drops absinthe
Method
- 1Flash-blend everything with a scoop of crushed ice for a few seconds.
- 2Pour into a tall glass and add more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
Traditionally limited to two per customer — it hides its strength well.
Garnish — Mint sprig
Dark 'n' Stormy
Spicy ginger beer with a dark rum storm cloud floated on top.
Ingredients
- ◆100 ml ginger beer
- ◆60 ml dark rum
Method
- 1Fill a highball with ice and pour in the ginger beer.
- 2Float the dark rum over the back of a spoon.
PRO TIP
Float the rum last — the dark cloud over pale ginger beer is the whole look.
Garnish — Lime wedge
Old Cuban
A grown-up mojito — aged rum, mint and lime lengthened with Champagne and bitters.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆22 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml simple syrup
- ◆6 leaves mint
- ◆2 dashes angostura bitters
- ◆60 ml prosecco
Method
- 1Shake everything except the sparkling wine with ice.
- 2Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
- 3Top gently with prosecco or Champagne.
PRO TIP
Audrey Saunders' modern classic — aged rum makes it elegant, not beachy.
Garnish — Mint sprig
Jungle Bird
Dark rum and Campari over pineapple and lime — bitter, tropical and unexpectedly sophisticated.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆22 ml campari
- ◆45 ml pineapple juice
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml demerara syrup
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice.
- 2Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
PRO TIP
The Campari is what makes it — bitter against the sweet pineapple.
Garnish — Pineapple wedge
Three Dots and a Dash
Aged and agricole rum with falernum, allspice and citrus — Morse code for 'victory'.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml dark rum
- ◆7 ml falernum
- ◆7 ml allspice dram
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml orange juice
- ◆15 ml honey syrup
- ◆2 dashes angostura bitters
Method
- 1Flash-blend everything with crushed ice.
- 2Pour into a tall glass and top with more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
The garnish spells the name — three cherries (dots) and a pineapple baton (dash).
Garnish — Three cherries and a pineapple chunk
Planter's Punch
Dark Jamaican rum, lime and cane sugar — the original rum punch, simple and strong.
Ingredients
- ◆45 ml dark rum
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml demerara syrup
Method
- 1Build all ingredients in a tumbler.
- 2Add crushed ice and stir; adjust dilution with a little water to taste.
PRO TIP
Use a funky Jamaican rum — it carries the whole drink.
Garnish — Orange zest
Don's Special Daiquiri
A two-rum daiquiri with passion fruit and honey — Donn Beach's tiki take on the classic.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml dark rum
- ◆15 ml white rum
- ◆15 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆15 ml honey syrup
Method
- 1Flash-blend everything with crushed ice for a few seconds.
- 2Pour into a footed glass and top with more crushed ice.
PRO TIP
Gold Jamaican rum brings the funk this drink wants.
Garnish — Half a passion fruit
IBA Tiki
A modern rum tiki with amaretto, passion fruit and pineapple over a slice of muddled ginger.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆30 ml dark rum
- ◆15 ml amaretto
- ◆5 ml frangelico
- ◆5 drops maraschino liqueur
- ◆30 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆90 ml pineapple juice
- ◆30 ml lime juice
Method
- 1Muddle a thin slice of ginger in the shaker.
- 2Add the rest and shake vigorously with ice.
- 3Strain into a tiki glass filled with pebble ice.
PRO TIP
The muddled ginger is the modern twist — don't skip it.
Garnish — Citrus and dehydrated pineapple
Hurricane
Two rums, passion fruit and citrus — a potent New Orleans crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- ◆30 ml dark rum
- ◆30 ml white rum
- ◆30 ml passion fruit syrup
- ◆15 ml lime juice
- ◆30 ml orange juice
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice.
- 2Pour into a hurricane glass over fresh ice.
PRO TIP
Passion fruit is the signature — don't skip it.
Garnish — Orange slice and cherry
Painkiller
Dark rum with pineapple, orange and coconut, dusted with nutmeg — a richer, tropical cousin of the colada.
Ingredients
- ◆60 ml dark rum
- ◆120 ml pineapple juice
- ◆30 ml orange juice
- ◆30 ml coconut cream
Method
- 1Shake all ingredients with ice.
- 2Pour over crushed ice in a tall glass.
PRO TIP
Fresh-grated nutmeg on top is non-negotiable.
Garnish — Grated nutmeg and pineapple wedge
You can also use
Common substitutions that interchange with dark rum in these drinks.
Got more than just dark rum?
Tell us everything on your shelf and we'll find every cocktail you can make.
Open the bar picker ↗