Rum is nice to sip or mix into Daiquiri and Grog cocktails. It's Passover friendly, being grain-free. Make a cocktail using white or dark rum today!

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Why these recipes works
- Rum cocktails are simple to make with just a few ingredients
- Use different types of rums (light vs. dark) to change the flavors of the cocktail
- Make a Coarse Sugar Simple Syrup to enhance the molasses flavor of the rum in the cocktails
The Jewish holiday of Passover challenges the creativity of many a baker.
During Passover, observant Jews will eat an unleavened bread called matzo (literally, the "Bread of Affliction"), a bland cracker-like flatbread.
Flourless Chocolate Walnut cookies are one solution to the challenge, i.e. not using barley, oats, rye, spelt, or wheat as ingredients. Those same grains feature prominently for whisky and bourbon expressions. So what’s a trying-to-follow-Passover-whisky-reviewer to do?
How about review a spirit that does fall under the ok-for-Passover umbrella…rum! A product of sugar cane (and a cousin to molasses), rum is a spirit that’s fine for the holiday.
I've reviewed Bully Boy rum, so now we'll compare two rum expressions…Bacardi Superior white rum and Brugal Añejo Superior dark rum.
Then, just for grins & giggles, I'll make simple rum cocktails from them and review those as well. Good times!
Bacardi and Brugal Rums
At home, April 22, 2019
Bacardi Superior
Tasting Notes
- Nose: light white sugar, light citrus, hint of almond
- Taste: sweet white pepper, hint of almondin the middle, light vanilla
- Finish: alcohol warmth lingers with white sugar and a touch of almonds
- Comments: great as a mixer; alone, flavors are muted
Brugal Añejo Superior
Tasting Notes
- Nose: dark brown sugar, oak, hint of lemon, light caramel
- Taste: strong sugar cane taste (unrefined sugar syrufollowed by dark woody notes, like chewing on a piece of sugar cane, light body
- Finish: cane notes linger along with a hint of baking spices
- Comments: I didn’t know what to expect, so the contrast between the dark sugar cane influence and a woody darkness is striking
Simple rum cocktails
The tasting notes above are a good start, but most of the time rum is used as a mixer rather than straight (like in this Hawaiian Mai Tai recipe). For simple rum cocktails, you can make the classic Daiquiri or Grog. (Say it with me now in your best pirate voice. “Arrrgh!”)
Recipe Ingredients
Both Daiquiri and Grog cocktails use the same three ingredients: rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Ingredient Notes
Rum: We'll be comparing the differences between the Bacardi white rum and the Brugal dark rum for these two cocktails
Lime juice: Fresh lime juice is always best, but you can alway use bottled if that's what you have on hand.
Coarse sugar simple syrup: You can always make normal simple syrup - just equal parts granulated sugar and water, by weight. But to give these cocktails more flavor, we're going to make simple syrup using coarse sugar (aka turbinado sugar or raw sugar). It has a coarse grain texture, golden brown color, and subtle molasses flavor. You can substitute demarara sugar (similar to turbinado but with a more pronounced molasses flavor) or brown sugar for the coarse sugar in the syrup.
The benefit of using a raw sugar syrup is that it brings an undertone of molasses to the syrup, allowing it to really enhance the rum flavors in the cocktails.
By the way, a 1 : 1 recipe ratio of equal parts water and sugar is standard for simple syrups, but it's not set in stone. Like with chocolate ganache, you can alter the ratio to make it heavier (more sugar) or lighter (more water) as required by a recipe or for personal taste.
How to make coarse sugar simple syrup
Coarse Sugar Simple Syrup
Equipment
- 1-quart saucepan
Ingredients
- ½ cup coarse sugar, like Sugar in the Raw, see Recipe Notes
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Combine the water and coarse sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Immediately take the saucepan off the heat.
- Let cool, then pour into a container (something clear to show off your nice golden syrup).
- Storage instructions: Simple syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Notes
Your Notes
Nutrition
How to make a Daiquiri cocktail
Now that we have our coarse sugar simple syrup, let's make a Daiquiri and a Grog.
The method for both a Daiquiri and Grog are very simple. Put all the ingredients in a shaker and...well...shake, shake, shake!
We'll make the Daiquiri cocktail recipe first.
Daiquiri
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white rum, like Bacardi white rum
- ¾ ounce coarse sugar simple syrup
- ¾ ounce lime juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a martini shaker filled with ice, shake 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer (to remove any ice particles) into a chilled lowball glass.
- Serve garnished with a slice of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
Your Notes
Nutrition
How to make a Grog cocktail
Making Grog is similar to the Daiquiri, except with less simple syrup and the addition of water.
Grog
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum, like Brugal Añejo
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce turbinado syrup
- 1 ounce water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a martini shaker filled with ice and shake 20 to 30 seconds.
- Pour into a lowball glass and enjoy. Yo-ho-ho!
Notes
Your Notes
Nutrition
Tasting comparison between the Daiquiri and Grog
I thought I’d like the Brugal and Grog over the Bacardi and Daiquiri (given it’s aged, like scotch), so I was surprised that the Daiquiri won out for me. I really enjoyed the clean crispness of the Daiquiri and the clean rum flavor this time.
That’s not to say that if a tiki-mug filled with Grog were handed to me that I’d turn it away, not by a long shot.
Both of these simple rum cocktails would be lovely to sip on a summer evening...on a beach…with swaying palms…sorry, got carried away for a moment.
Arrrgh!
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