Whiskey and Rum Create Great Cocktails When Used Together

What ages together, goes together. Or at least that’s the case with whisky and rum. Though one starts with starch and the other with sugar, both are imparted with color and flavors from their time spent in barrels and while they’re distinctly different, they share similar flavors. So when you shake or stir whisky and rum together, the uniform flavors fade into the background, allowing their unique attributes to take the spotlight. “It creates a beautifully layered and balanced drink,” says Keena Hanson, training and development bar manager for Ida Claire and Haywire in Dallas, Texas.

To form a harmonious marriage for a tasty cocktail, note the spice levels, alcohol contents, and flavors of your spirits. Since rum tends to be sweet, it lends itself to partnering with peated scotch, spicy rye, or other bold, heavy whisky. Still, if you prefer bourbon, you may want to choose a drier rum. Or simply let the recipes below guide you to sugar and spice perfection.

Aspen Apex

Created by Uliana Savitska, bartender, W Aspen, Aspen

Smoky and refreshing. The sweet rum and smoky whisky provide complex flavors: you’ll taste the wood and bitterness first, then sour from the lime juice, and then the sweetness.

¾ oz. Flor de Caña 4 Añejo Oro (or other añejo rum)
¾ oz. Monkey Shoulder (or other blended malt scotch)
½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice
½ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. orgeat syrup
1 oz. pineapple juice
Dehydrated edible flower for garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with dehydrated flower.

Chamomile Sour

Created by Keena Hanson, training and development bar manager, Ida Claire and Haywire, Dallas

The Chamomile Sour is a blend of smooth bourbon and rich rum, elevated by the floral kick of chamomile simple syrup and balanced with a bright splash of lemon. Finished with a silky egg white froth, this cocktail delivers a flavorful sip that’s as refreshing as spring in Texas. It’s the perfect mix of refined and laidback, making it a drink worth savoring.

• 1½ oz. Buffalo Trace (or other bourbon)
• ½ oz. Ron Zacapa No. 23 (or other aged rum)
• ¾ oz. chamomile simple syrup (recipe below)
• ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• Crushed dried chamomile flower and 2 dashes Angostura bitters for garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin, add ice, and shake for about 30 seconds. Strain cocktail, then return it to the shaker tin and dry shake for about 30 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with crushed chamomile and bitters.

Chamomile Simple Syrup

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 chamomile tea bags

In a pot over high heat, bring sugar and water to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, add tea bags, and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags and strain into a sealable container. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Re-Imagined in High-Def

Created by Stefan Huebner, owner, Dot Dot Dot, Charlotte, North Carolina

This velvety Manhattan gets complexity from the spirit-forward rum, spice, and a tropical note to “take you on a ride,” Huebner says.

• 1 oz. Wild Turkey Rare Breed (or other high-corn bourbon)
• 1 oz Don Q Gran Reserva Añejo XO (or other aged rum)
• 1 oz. pineapple-infused Punt E Mes (recipe below)
• ½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
• ¼ oz. Allspice Dram
• 3 dashes Creole bitters
• Amarena cherry on a skewer for garnish

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 10 seconds, then strain into chilled Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with cherry.

Pineapple-Infused Punt E Mes

• 1 pineapple, cubed
• 750 ml Punt E Mes vermouth

Place pineapple and vermouth in a 4-quart non-reactive container. Let sit 24 hours, then double-strain back into the bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Black Mountain Crest

Created by Bri Parino, bar director, Gertie’s Whiskey Bar, Nashville and Louisville

“This is the perfect drink for a cozy night in,” Parino says. Notes of caramelized vanilla, anise, and brown sugar from the bourbon harmonize with the smoky wood and burnt sugarcane in the rum for a creamy, spicy, warming cocktail.

• 1 oz. Old Forester (or other bourbon)
• ¾ oz. Hamilton 151 Demerara Overproof (or other high-proof dark demerara rum)
• 1¾ oz. popcorn syrup (recipe below)
• 1 barspoon apple butter
• ½ oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• 1 small handful popcorn for garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin and dry shake for about 30 seconds to emulsify the egg white. Add a scoop of ice and shake again for another 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with popcorn.

Popcorn Syrup

• ½ cup salted popped popcorn
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup sugar

Place water and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Stir frequently until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add popcorn and bring to a low simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain into a sealable container and let cool. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

The Locker Room

Created by Parker Giesendorfer, bartender, The Vandy, St. Louis

An Old Fashioned at heart, this cocktail shows off the earthy peated notes of the scotch and the deep sugar and spice of the rum, with a dash of green flavor from the piment bitters, Giesendorfer says.

• 1 oz. Compass Box The Peat Monster (or other peated scotch)
• 1 oz. Vizcaya (or other black rum)
• ½ oz. demerara simple syrup
• 2 dashes Rhum JM Piment bitters
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Lemon coin for garnish

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube and garnish with expressed and flamed lemon coin.