Spiced Rum Winter Warming Cocktails

Winter is well and truly upon us, with the nights getting longer and the temperatures dropping, what could be better than a cocktail to warm your bones? We’ve put together a list of some fantastic cocktails made using our Lugger Devon spiced rum that will be sure to put a smile on your face and some warmth in your belly!

Spiced Rum Hot Chocolate

Like a great big boozy hug in a mug, this is sure to go down a treat on a chilly evening! We’ve opted to go for the “made from scratch” option, although adding rum to your favourite instant hot chocolate could only be a good thing, right?!

Ingredients:

• 250ml milk

• 45 grams dark chocolate (75% cocoa plus, ideally)

• 2 teaspoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey if preferred)

• 2 tablespoons Lugger Rum (or more if you want a bit more of a kick!)

Method:

• Gently heat the milk on the hob until it starts to bubble, then reduce the heat and add in the chopped chocolate.

• Whisk gently until the chocolate is melted, then add the cocoa powder and brown sugar stir well for around a minute.

• Turn off the heat, stir in the rum and serve in your favourite mug.

• If you’re feeling extra decadent, you could always top with cream and marshmallows – the diet can always start next Monday!

Buttered Rum Old Fashioned

Traditionally made with whiskey, the Old Fashioned dates back to the 1800s – but also works beautifully well with rum. This one does require a bit of prep work to make the brown butter rum, but once you have that on hand, it is the perfect cocktail for a winter’s evening. Big thanks to Lugger stockists Bull & Bear in Barnstaple, North Devon for putting us onto this one!

Brown butter rum:

• 1 x 70cl bottle of Lugger Rum

• 125g butter

For the cocktail (per drink):

• 60ml brown butter rum (as above)

• 1 dash vanilla essence

• 3 dashes chocolate bitters

• 1 tablespoon soft demerara sugar

Method for Brown Butter Rum:

• For making the brown butter rum, melt the butter in a pan on the hob. Keep warming the butter to remove any water – which will result in a sizzle and pop (be sure to tilt the pan to avoid the butter burning).

• When the butter turns amber and has a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat, and leave it to cool until lukewarm.

• Pour the rum into an airtight jar and add the butter. Close the jar and shake to mix the rum and butter, then leave to chill in the fridge for three days.

• After three days in the fridge, the mixture in the jar will have solidified, so simply place the jar in a bowl of warm water to separate the butter and rum.

• Strain the buttered rum through a muslin cloth and discard the butter solids. Pour the rum into a bottle and store it in the fridge until needed.

Cocktail Method:

• To make the cocktail, place ice in a cocktail shaker and pour in the rum. Add in the vanilla essence, chocolate bitters and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

• To serve, place a large ice cube into a glass and strain the contents of the shaker over the ice.

Rum Espresso Martini

The espresso martini has had a meteoric rise in popularity over the past few years and is traditionally made with vanilla vodka – but for a unique twist on the traditional, why not add in some Lugger Golden Rum?

Ingredients:

• 25ml Lugger Golden Rum

• 25ml coffee liqueur

• 25ml simple syrup

• 25ml espresso

• Ice

• 3 coffee beans (optional garnish)

Method:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and add in all of the liquid ingredients.

• Shake vigorously until the surface of the shaker feels chilled, which should be around 20-30 seconds.

• Strain into a martini glass using a cocktail strainer.

• Garnish with 3 coffee beans.

Spiced Apple Pie Cocktail

Fancy all the warming spice of an apple pie without the need for baking? Then look no further than this spiced apple pie cocktail – custard optional!

Ingredients:

• 40 ml Lugger Rum

• 15 ml vanilla vodka

• 90 ml fresh apple juice

• Ice

Method:

• Simply combine all the ingredients in a glass with some ice, give a little stir and serve.

Rum Hot Toddy

Soothing, warming and medicinal, the Hot Toddy is another drink that is traditionally made with whiskey but can be altered to accommodate rum and is the perfect drink if you are feeling a bit under the weather. The rum is there to numb, the lemon for vitamins, the syrup or honey for soothing and the cinnamon to give it some warmth.

Ingredients:

• Two tablespoons Lugger Rum

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

• 1 slice lemon and squeeze of lemon juice

• Boiling water

• Cinnamon stick

Method:

• Add the rum, syrup, cinnamon stick, and lemon to a mug, then fill up with water and give it a stir.

• Taste, and add more lemon (or rum!) if desired.

Spiced Apple Cranberry Warm Rum Punch

Simple to make and easy to drink, this warm punch really is a winner. The measurements are easy to adjust should you want more or less of something, so experiment and get stuck in!

Ingredients

• 600ml apple juice (not from concentrate would be best)

• 400ml cranberry juice

• 100ml Lugger Rum

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• Pinch ground nutmeg

• 1 apple, sliced

• 1 orange (peel and juice)

Method:

• Place the apple juice, cranberry juice, nutmeg, sliced apple, and cinnamon sticks into a large saucepan.

• Peel the orange into long strips using a vegetable peeler and put that in the pan with the orange juice.

• Heat to high, and when it is about to boil, reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes while the cinnamon sticks infuse the juice.

• When ready to serve, add the rum, stir, and serve!

• You may also be interested in trying our signature cocktail here at Lyme Bay – The Spicy Lugger. Included in the recipe is a spiced powder mix which is ignited over the drink, adding a bit of flair and drama to your home cocktail making! 

Painkiller

The Painkiller has a bit of a turbulent history dating back to the 1970s. The first painkiller was made in the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands (named so due to there being no dock, so patrons ‘had to swim’ to the bar, getting their money wet in the process!

Traditionally made using navy rum, we’ve subbed in our Golden Rum to give a different dimension to this drink.

Ingredients

• 50ml Lugger Golden Rum

• 25ml coconut cream

• 100ml pineapple juice

• 25ml orange juice

• Ice

• Grated nutmeg (optional garnish)

Method:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then pour in all the ingredients.

• Shake well until the shaker feels cold, around 20-30 seconds.

• Strain into a highball glass filled with ice.

• Garnish with grated nutmeg and enjoy!

You may also be interested in trying our signature cocktail here at Lyme Bay – The Spicy Lugger. Included in the recipe is a spiced powder mix which is ignited over the drink, adding a bit of flair and drama to your home cocktail making!

Share your creations!

We love it when you get in touch, so if you’ve got a spiced rum cocktail using our Lugger Rum, why not pop us a message on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts with your creation?

Share this article