Summer cocktail season is here, which means light libations best sipped with mates in the sun. Our eyes are moving away from the bottom shelves of supermarkets to top-quality tipples—because we deserve it. Gone are the days of poorly ratioed rum and cokes. This summer, we’re exploring refined cocktail classics made with premium Appleton Estate rums.
Fill your glass with friends, garnish with discovery and stir up some fun with these 4 classic cocktail recipes.
Jamaican Daiquiri
Since 1749, Appleton Estate has been distilling from the mystical landscape and lush climate of Nassau Valley—guaranteeing your daiquiri is imbued with a punch of Jamaican spirit. Best served with mates, this Caribbean crowd-pleaser is sweet, sour and a delicious golden colour of the Jamaican shores it was aged on.
Ingredients
- 60ml Appleton Estate Signature
- 22.5ml fresh lime juice
- 15ml simple syrup
- Lime twist to garnish
Method
Add all ingredients into a shaker with cubed ice and shake until chilled. Strain into chilled coupe glasses and garnish with a lime twist.
Mai Tai
Legend says the first Mai Tai was made with Appleton Estate rum so a bit of history lives inside every glass of this tropical fave. What makes the taste even more iconic is the 8-year-old reserve expertly created by Dr. Joy Spence, the first female Master Blender in spirits—talk about history!
Ingredients
- 60ml Appleton Estate 8-Year-Old Reserve
- 15ml fresh lime juice
- 15ml orange curacao
- 15ml orgeat (almond) syrup
- Lime wedge and mint to garnish
Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with crushed and cubed ice. Shake until chilled, then pour all contents of the shaker into double old-fashioned glasses. Garnish with a lime wedge and fresh mint sprigs.
Blue Mountain Serve
12 years in Jamaica would lift any spirit and that’s exactly what this cocktail shows—a beautifully simple drink that lets craftsmanship shine. Close your eyes and taste the dried fruit, hazelnut, cocoa, molasses, orange peel, vanilla, coffee and oak that balances it all out.
Ingredients
- 60 ml Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Rare Casks
- 16 coffee beans
Method
Lightly muddle 12 coffee beans, being careful to only crack the beans and not grind them. Add rum and ice then stir. Strain the rum into double old-fashioned glasses with one large ice cube. Garnish with 4 whole coffee beans.
Jamaican Mule
An old-school classic gets a Jamaican twist in this refreshing flavour punch. Once you taste this, your brain will be fizzing with inspiration—what rum recipes will you unlock next?
Ingredients
- 60 ml Appleton Estate Signature
- 60ml ginger beer
- 3 lime wedges
- Dashes of aromatic bitters
- Lime wheel to garnish
Method
Gently muddle the limes in a rock glass. Fill the glass with cubed ice and top with ginger beer. Add a few dashes of bitters and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Rethink what you thought you knew about rum and try these cocktails at home with Appleton Estate for yourself.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Appleton Estate and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Images: Urban List