With summer still in full swing, we’re always looking for ways to celebrate, and what better occasion to cheers with friends than today, August 16th, National Rum Day!? That’s right, today across the country, we invite you to celebrate with a few delicious BACARDÍ cocktails at home or out at the bar.
Lately we’ve been loving the ultra-premium BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron and Ocho Años, taking our rum sipping and cocktail making at home to a more complex level.
In case you’re unfamiliar, BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is a double aged rum over 150 years in the making. The white oak casks used in the aging process deliver a smooth taste with notes of rich spice, sharp plum, caramel, and vanilla perfect on the rocks or neat but also translate well into cocktails like a fresh BACARDÍ Maestro Collins.
BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Ocho Años takes things up a notch, aged for a minimum of eight years in American Oak barrels. This is one of the oldest rum blends, originally created in 1862 making it the prefect celebratory choice for those special summer occasions like National Rum Day! Featuring a fuller bodied taste with hints of smokiness, allspice, soft caramel, vanilla and dried plums, this golden rum blend is perfect for those slow sipping spirit-forward cocktails like an Old Fashioned, but is also delicious on the rocks.
Now that you have a better idea of what to expect with BACARDÍ’s more premium rums, we thought we’d take a moment to share a couple of our favourite recipes created by notable Canadian bartenders from Toronto and Montreal.
Check out the recipes for the O.G. Tiki cocktail created by La Banane’s Chris Weaver and the BACARDÍ Cup created by Vancouver’s Chris Mosey of Brix & Mortar and be sure to give them a try tonight!
Cheers to National Rum Day!
O.G. TIKI
Ingredients:
2 parts BACARDÍ 8 Años
3⁄4 part House-made Moroccan Orgeat*
3⁄4 part Lime Juice
1⁄2 part Curaçao
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with crushed ice. Finish with 3 dashes of Angostura. Shake and dump with used crushed ice into a double rocks glass, garnish with a lime twist and a sprig of mint.
*House Made Moroccan Orgeat:
2 cups slivered almonds
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
3 whole cinnamon sticks
1 tsp of whole clove, coriander, powdered all spice, and cayenne pepper
1oz vodka
Method:
Toast slivered almonds on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes shaking tray at the 2.5 minute mark to prevent over toasting. Blitz almonds in a blender till it is a fine powder.
Bring sugar and water to a boil with spices. Once at a boil reduced heat and add almonds. Simmer till mixture begins to boil again. Remove from heat and cover. Let rest for 12 hours. Strain through 3 layers of cheesecloth. Add vodka.
Consumer-Friendly Alternative: Purchase “Fee Brothers Orgeat” and simply add the above spices, bring to a boil and steep for 12 hours. Strain through cheesecloth.
BACARDÍ Cup
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts BACARDÍ Gran Reserva Maestro
1 ½ parts Pink Grapefruit Juice
¾ parts Amaro Nonino
½ part Fresh Lemon Juice
1 part Mango Juice
5-7 Oregano Leaves
1 Grapefruit Slice
3-4 Pineapple Chunks Top with Ginger Beer
Method:
Simply combine all ingredients in a glass over cubed ice, top with ginger beer. No need to garnish, the drink already looks stunning but a mint sprig/oregano sprig wouldn’t be out of place. This recipe can be multiplied indefinitely to make exotic looking pitchers to wow your guests.