Mention rum and coke to a rum fan, and you’ll see a glint in their eye. It’s definitely a match made in heaven for most of us. A unique mix of cold, sweet soda with strong alcohol, the combination can never go wrong at any given point. But there is a lot beyond just the classics, that you can experiment with when it comes to rum. And what better occasion than today, July 9, to begin with. It is World Rum Day today, an annual, global celebration of rum which was launched in 2019, and is since celebrated on the second Saturday of July. It was created by Paul Jackson - the editor of World Rum Guide, who is also a rum expert and spirits writer. 

While rum with coke is one of the most popular drinks on the Costa del Sol in Spain, there are many other rum-based cocktails that have its fans drooling over. And if you are in for some serious experimentation, we’ve got some spectacular cocktails, straight from some of the best restaurants in Mumbai and Goa. 

1. Luna

Credit: Rahul Gurav- Juliette 

Ingredients: 

  • 45 ml Mount gay silver 
  • 22.5 ml Fresh pineapple juice  
  • 15 ml Fresh citrus
  • 5 ml Sugar syrup 
  • 3 slice Cucumber (to muddle) 
  •  2 sticks Thyme  
  • 10 ml (float) Mount gay spiced rum  
  • Garnish with cucumber ribbon, thyme broom and cherry on the top. 

Method: 

1. In a shaker, add cucumber and muddle it 

2. Add thyme and other ingredients then shake and strain in rocks glass 

3. Garnish with cucumber ribbon over ice and top with crushed ice. Float spiced rum on top garnish with thyme and cherry 

2. Xec – Xec 

Credit: Mayur Mallik Sr. Bartender and head mixologist, Maai, Goa

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml Dark rum  
  • 12.5 ml Spiced syrup 
  • 20 ml Tamarind liquer  
  • 30 ml Orange juice  
  • Garnish - orange peel and burnt cinnamon stick 

Method:  

1. In a shaker, pour Tamarind liquer, spiced syrup and orange juice. 

2. Then pour dark rum, add ice to shaker and hard shake the mixture  

3. Now pour in a mudka glass, and garnish with burnt orange zest and cinnamon stick 

3. Havana, Ooh Na Na 

Credit: Vishesh Shah, The Little Easy, Bandra 

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml Havana White Rum  
  • 30 ml Apple Juice  
  • 15 ml Lemon Juice  
  • 20 ml Cinnamon Syrup  
  • Top Up with Soda 
  • Garnish with Rum infused Marigold Flower 

Method:

1. Building 

4. Mury Thai Boxing 

Credit: Avril Gonsalves, Butterfly High Thane and BKC

Glassware - Collins glass 

Base -white n dark rum 

Ingredients 

  • 45ml white rum  
  • 10ml sweet n sour  
  • 4-5 mint leaves  
  • 45ml orange juice  
  • 45ml pineapple juice  
  • 30ml Float Dark rum

Method - 

1. Shaken 

2. Garnish with pineapple cone and cherry 

5. Golden Zen 

Credit: Anand Iyer 

  • 50 ml Bacardi white  
  • 15 ml Lime juice 
  • 15 ml Galangal extract  
  • 2 dash Bitter  
  • 2-3 leaves Basil leaves 
  • Ginger foam - on top 
  • Glass - tulip glass  
  • Garnish - dust of caster sugar sprinklers 

Method:

1. Take the shaker, tap the basil leaves then add bitter  

2. Add galangal extract with lime juice 

3. Lastly add rum, shake it vigorously, then pour it in small tin. 

4. Take the pre-chill tulip glass, dust with caster sugar then add long spear of glass  

5. Pour the small tin drink into this glass, then top up with ginger foam.