Along with the boutique Bourbon and tequila movement we’ve seen during the past few years, small-batch rums, too, have piqued our palates. Like the warmer climes of the Caribbean and Florida, rum works well in the desert – especially when served on the rocks or chilled into swank modern martinis.
And with Halloween around the corner, it’s time to think about adding rum to your game and whipping together some killer cocktails for the occasion. Rum’s mythical quality adds to the eerie vibe surrounding the holiday. We typically host an open house, or “dungeon,” at our Tempe home, and offer up snacks and drinks to the parents of trick o’ treating goblins.
How does serving a “Poison Apple Martini” or “Mayhem Martini” grab you? Fine rums and the additional ingredients mentioned below are available at fine local bottle shops such as Sportsman's, AJ's Fine Foods, Sun Devil Liquor, Total Wine and BevMo. Read on.
POISON APPLE MARTINI
2 ounces Cockspur brand rum
1 ounce Applejack liqueur
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Apple slice for garnish
Preparation: Combine rum, liqueur and cinnamon into a shaker with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a martini glass and garnish
MAYHEM MARTINI
2 ounces rum
1/2 ounce triple sec
1/2 ounce Godiva liqueur
Orange twist for garnish
Preparation: Combine ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until very cold. Strain into martini glass and garnish.
ZOMBIE
1 ounce rum
1 ounce dark rum
1 ounce apricot brandy
2 ounces orange juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce lemon juice
Splash of grenadine
Dash of Angostura bitters
151 proof rum for float
Mint leaves for garnish
Pineapple wedge for garnish
Cube and crushed ice
Preparation: Combine light and dark rum and apricot brandy into a shaker with cube ice. Add juices, grenadine and bitters and shake until very cold. Fill hurricane glass with crushed ice and strain in mixture. Add rum float and garnish with mint and pineapple wedge. Multiply recipe by six for large format pitcher.
Contact Drinks Editor Mark Nothaft via e-mail and click here and follow him on Twitter. Subscribe to his frequent columns on Examiner and click here.
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