Barbados Planter's Punch

There's not much to look at with a Planter's Punch. This one uses gold rum and lime juice, so it would look sort of wan, but otherwise mostly clear. The garnishes and a tiki like Lenny here give it so much more personality.

• 3 oz. gold rum
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. simple syrup (my pineapple syrup used)
• dash orange bitters
• club soda
• banana slice
• orange slice
• maraschino cherry
• dash of nutmeg

Combine rum lime juice, simple syrup and bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a grim faced tiki and top with crushed ice and soda. Garnish with fruits.

Pirate's Julep

Save this one for Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19)! This is pretty much a mint julep with rum, but before you write it off as same-ole, same-ole, you should try it. Orgeat and triple sec make a big difference in the flavor. It is much more fruity than a bourbon julep and fitting for poolside drinking, whereas the other one is probably good for barbecues.

I love this photo, by the way. It makes me think of the land of El Dorado, where the streets run with gold rum. I think that's how the legend goes.

•  3 oz. gold rum
• 1 tsp. Curacao
• 1 tsp. orgeat syrup
• 10 mint leaves
• fresh mint sprig

Muddle mint leaves in orgeat syrup in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, rum and Curacao and shake. Pour into a julep glass if you have one, or a highball will do. Garnish with a mint sprig.