9 rum cocktails to try in St. Louis

By Kristin Schultz // September 1, 2015

Rum is making its way into seemingly every cocktail around town, from sophisticated twists on age-old classics to over-the-top, flaming tiki drinks. Summon your inner Jack Sparrow and enjoy one last sweet sip of summer.

1. Rum Old-Fashioned

Whiskey bows out of this classic cocktail twist. Scarlet Ibis brings a familiar sweetness, and the El Dorado 12-year lends its richly spiced notes to a stirred up mix of simple syrup, lemon and orange oils, and Angostura bitters. The bright citrus aroma and rich layers of sugar and spice make for a satisfying, sophisticated sip. Público, 6679 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.833.5780, publicostl.com

elephant gun cocktail from blood and sand // photo by jonathan gayman


2. Elephant Gun

Fresh, cool house-made banana purée melds with Plantation dark rum, fruity Scarlet Ibis rum from Trinidad, Jamaican bitters, lime juice and pineapple juice in this over-the-top tiki dream. Banana flavor dominates the first sip followed by cinnamon, sweet molasses and pineapple. Served over crushed ice in a coconut shell and garnished with edible flowers, pineapple wedges and leaves, it’s miles from serious – exactly where you want to be. Blood & Sand, 1500 St. Charles St., St. Louis, 314.241.7263, bloodandsandstl.com

murder on the dance floor cocktail from blood and sand // photo by jonathan gayman

3. Murder on the Dance Floor

Roasted strawberries infuse Cruzan aged white rum, creating a REDRUM for this sparkly, not-too-sweet cocktail. Demerara sugar deepens the rum’s fruity flavor and is balanced by a hit of lemon juice, then topped with dry prosecco and strawberry slices for a pleasantly pink, bubbly refresher. Cielo, 999 N. Second St., St. Louis, 314.881.5800, cielostlouis.com

down with the ship cocktail from cleveland-heath // photo by jonathan gayman

4. Down with the Ship

Heads turn when this flaming concoction arrives. Funky Smith & Cross navy-strength rum balances the spicy, vanilla notes of Diplomático rum. Dry curaçao, orgeat, pineapple, lime juice and simple syrup round out the ingredients, which are poured over ice before a hollowed lime half is filled with Bacardi 151 and set ablaze on the cocktail. Take the accompanying metal spoon-straw, sink that flaming ship and sip away. Cleveland-Heath, 106 N. Main St., Edwardsville, 618.307.4830, clevelandheath.com

corpse flower cocktail from eclipse // photo by jonathan gayman

5. Corpse Flower

Fresh and fruity with a hint of baking spice, Flor de Caña 4-year aged white rum is the base spirit for this macabre treat. When shaken with apricot liqueurs, Sorel, pineapple gomme syrup and lemon juice, the result is a cocktail that starts citrusy and finishes with smooth apricot notes that pull together the drier notes of the rum and spiced Sorel. Eclipse, 6177 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.726.2222, eclipsestlouis.com

brújula cocktail from mission taco joint // photo by jonathan gayman


6. Brújula

Why limit barrel aging to just rum? A batch of local Still 630’s Soulard Island rum, Big O ginger liqueur and Swedish Punsch gets locked up tight for five weeks in a barrel that previously held the Russian grappa Samogon. It’s liberated, shaken with grapefruit and lime juices, tarragon simple syrup and bitters, and served in a pisco-rinsed glass. This bright concoction is proof that flavors from around the world can live in harmony. Mission Taco Joint, 6235 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.932.5430; and 908 Lafayette Ave., St. Louis, 314.858.8226, missiontacostl.com

tropikos cocktail from square one brewery // photo by jonathan gayman


7. Tropikos

House-distilled Island Time rum is infused with dried pineapple, mango, papaya and ginger then shaken with lime juice and simple syrup. Topped with soda water and garnished with a mint leaf, this simple sparkly drink showcases the classic pairing of rum and tropical fruit. Square One Brewery and Distillery, 1727 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.231.2537, squareonebrewery.com

black strap me down, mai tai me up cocktail from ta'haa twisted tiki // photo by jonathan gayman


8. Black Strap Me Down, Mai Tai Me Up

Cruzan Black Strap rum and absinthe go together like pirates and booty. The deep molasses flavor of Black Strap rum balances the citrus and vanilla notes of El Dorado 3-year cask-aged rum and is complemented by nutty Trader Vic’s macadamia nut liqueur. Pineapple and lime juices lend acid, sweetness and froth. St. George absinthe brings a soft licorice flavor before the cocktail turns sweet-tart then finishes luxuriously buttery. Taha’a Twisted Tiki, 4199 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.202.8300, stltiki.com

zombie cocktail from waterstreet // photo by jonathan gayman


9. Zombie

This classic cocktail draws sweetness from Myers’s dark rum and orange juice with underlying spice courtesy of Caruso spiced rum and Velvet Falernum. Lime juice adds a tart, citrus layer reinforced by an orange peel garnish. Feeling generous? Order a punch bowl to share with five of your friends and drink in the waning summer days. Water Street, 7268 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.646.8355, waterstreetstl.com

Editor's note: Público, Cielo, and Waterstreet have closed.