Sloppy Joe's Cocktail

This must be a recipe created at the Key West Sloppy Joe's restaurant or some such propitiatory thing. There are many drinks like this out there with a bartender or restaurant name and a twist on a classic. This classic beneath the classic is a Daiquiri, but this time it has the addition of dry vermouth and grenadine, so the color and spice profile is different. It's not just citrus anymore.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar syrup
• 1/2 tsp. grenadine

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Sundowner

What a beautiful name for an amazing rum cocktail. Rum and tonic is not so bad an idea in itself, but all of these tropical additions really up the game of this rum and tonic drink. First, the recipe calls for gold rum--which is really more a description of a color of the rum more than anything to do with it's flavor. Cruzan rums only include the label stating "aged rum" no matter the color of the spirit. But just for fun I used Cruzan 151-proof and the silver rum to give this drink some richness and a real punch of alcohol.

There's also lime juice, maraschino liqueur and curacao in there to make things even more tropical. I used Q tonic for an especially rich and bitey rum cocktial.

• 2 oz. gold rum (1 oz. Cruzan rum and 1 oz. Cruzan 151-proof rum)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. maraschino liqueur
• 1/4 tsp. curacao
• tonic 
• lime slice

Combine all ingredients except for tonic and lime slice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Collins glass full of ice. Add tonic and stir. Garnish with lime slice. 

Palmetto Cocktail

This is one of the many rum Martini variations. It gets a punch of exotic flavors more from the amount of dry vermouth and bitters than anything else. A whole ounce of dry vermouth, especially a spicy one, makes this cocktail very much more like a wine drink with a strong alcoholic kick. The name though suggests a palm tree, a tropical landscape, and a rum cocktail among many.

• 2 oz. light rum (Cruzan used)
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Banana Rum Frappe

I see where this drink is going. There's something wonderfully tropical about it, this sort of banana rum sour you can do blended or with crushed ice. It is all very refreshing.

I did what I could to avoid that fake creme de banan flavor and to get real banana into the drink. MurLarkey makes an unsweetened banana whiskey from tiny bananas. There's a lot more of a brown sugar or vanilla scent to it and no actual sugar. If you want it, and I suggest you add at least a half teaspoon, you should do it yourself. At least you know your banana flavor is real.

If I were to do this drink again, I'd use more banana whiskey to make the flavor even more intense. Up the proportion to equal parts light rum and MurLarkey.

• 1 oz. light rum
• 1/2  oz. banana liquor (MurLarkey banana whiskey used)
• 1/2 oz. orange juice
• fresh banana slices

Combine liquid ingredients in a blender with ice (or with crushed ice in a shaker). Blend or shake quickly but not until smooth and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with banana slices.

Black Maria

Black Maria is a Caribbean Black Russian made with rum, coffee liqueur and real coffee. As such it feels a little more special than the garden variety Black Russian.

Cruzan white rum is labeled "aged rum" only as if to point out that their rum has a respectable aged flavor. Use it instead of Bacardi Superior if you want to be able to distinguish between the coffee drink with vodka and the one made with rum.

• 2 oz. white rum (Cruzan used)
• 2 oz. coffee liqueur (homemade used)
• 4 oz. cold black coffee
• 1 tsp. sugar

Combine all ingredients in a brandy snifter. Add cracked ice. 

Daiquiri / Cubano

Here's another drink like the Cuba Libre that has two names, depending on if you are just feeling like a rum drink or you want to make a statement about your Cuban heritage. The Daiquiri is a very old drink that has its origins in Grog, the mix of lime juice and rum that sailors used to prevent scurvy. The rum was the incentive for the crew to drink the Grog, since they were unlikely to take regular doses of just lime juice.

The NY Bartender's Guide shows that this recipe was intended to be served up and neat. I like this format for the drink. It is more formal and less finicky than a Frozen Daiquiri.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
•  lime wedge

Combine all ingredients except lime wedge in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lime slice. 

Mojito

For some reason the NY Bartender's Guide shows the Mojito double strained and served up. I've no doubt that this was the recipe ages ago. In fact, replace the club soda with sparkling wine and you have The Old Cuban, which is supposed to predate the Mojito.

Nowadays, though, all you see with a Mojito is a bunch of mint and lime in a Collins or pint glass. Do it like this for a more refreshing long drink.

Cruzan light rum is especially flavorful. They don't even make a distinction between their light and dark rums on the labels. Both are called "Aged Rum." There's plenty of sugar and vanilla flavor in these rums, unlike Bacardi, which is hotter and thinner on the palate.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 8-10 mint leaves
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• club soda
• dash Angostura bitters optional

 Muddle mint, sugar and lime juice in a shaker until mint is lightly macerated. Add ice and rum and shake. Pour into a pint or Collins glass. Top with soda and more ice if necessary. Dash angostura bitters on top. (Save some mint and a lime slice for garnishes.)