Rum Swizzle

There’s nothing like sipping a fun tropical drink when summer kicks in (or when you’re dreaming of warmer days). With a name as fun to say as it is to drink, the rum swizzle is a refreshing cocktail made with rum, fruit juices and a flavored sweetener such as falernum or grenadine. It’s the national drink of Bermuda, and it’s called a swizzle because it’s stirred rapidly with a swizzle stick—a long, pronged stick traditionally cut from the branches of a Caribbean Quararibea tree.

To swizzle, you insert the stick into the glass, then whirl it between your palms to aerate and mix the cocktail. No swizzle stick? No problem! A long-handled cocktail spoon (ideally with a flat paddle at one end) can also be used to swizzle the cocktail. Rum swizzles practically make the party, whether it’s a backyard barbecue, Friday night with friends, or an afternoon when you’re trying to beat the heat.

Rum Swizzle Ingredients

• Unsweetened pineapple juice: Pineapple juice adds tropical sweetness and bright acidity to this Caribbean-inspired cocktail. Use 100% juice for the freshest flavor, and skip sweetened varieties. Use leftover pineapple juice to make pineapple mimosas, nonalcoholic pineapple coolers or refreshing tropical pineapple smoothies.
• Orange juice: Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the brightest flavor, but any store-bought orange juice is acceptable. Use pulp-free juice for the cleanest experience.
• Rum: Our rum swizzle recipe calls for both light and dark rum, which gives it a more complex flavor. You could use a blended rum or just one type of rum, but the swizzle won’t have the same robust character as a drink made with both types of rum.
• Falernum: Some would say a swizzle just isn’t a swizzle without falernum! This rum-based liqueur originated in Barbados. It is made with lime, almond, ginger, cloves and allspice. It has a sweet and complex flavor that’s hard to replicate. But if you can’t find it or don’t have it on hand, you can sweeten the drink with grenadine, orgeat syrup or simple syrup.
• Angostura bitters: First produced as medicinal tinctures, bitters are high-strength, highly concentrated and extremely bitter spirits. Though only used in tiny amounts, they add dimension and complexity to cocktails. Angostura aromatic bitters add complex aromatic flavors of fruit, cinnamon, clove and herbs.
• Crushed ice: With a faster melt time than regular ice cubes, crushed ice helps chill the cocktail quickly and dilute the drink.
• Optional garnishes: For a showstopper cocktail, top each drink with a slice of fresh pineapple and/or orange.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cocktail

Combine the pineapple juice, orange juice, light and dark rums, falernum, and bitters in a Collins glass. Add crushed ice until the glass is three-quarters full. Swizzle the cocktail with a swizzle stick or bar spoon.

Top with additional crushed ice as needed to fill the glass.

Editor’s Tip: A Collins glass is a tall and narrow cocktail glass. A highball glass or tall pilsner glass will also work. For extra tropical flair, serve it in a ceramic tiki mug.

Step 2: Garnish the cocktail

Garnish the rum swizzle with a pineapple wedge or orange slice.

Rum Swizzle Variations

• Sunset swizzle: For a sunset-hued swizzle, stir in a splash of cranberry juice.
• Lime swizzle: If you don’t want to open multiple containers of fruit juice or prefer cocktails that aren’t as sweet, swap the pineapple and orange juices for lime juice. Use 1-1/2 ounces of lime juice, plus 1/2 ounce of simple syrup to smooth out the acidity.
• Green swizzle: To make a green swizzle, combine 2 ounces of rum, 1 ounce of falernum, 1/2 ounce of lime juice, and 1/6 ounce of creme de menthe. Garnish the cocktail with a sprig of mint.

How to Make Swizzles for a Group

To make swizzles for a group, multiply the ingredients by the number of servings you intend to make, and swizzle them in a pitcher. Pour an even amount of the mixture into serving glasses filled with crushed ice, then top them with more crushed ice and garnish them as desired.

Rum Swizzle Tips

What’s the best way to get crushed ice?

If your refrigerator’s ice maker doesn’t have a crushed ice option, no need to fret. You can easily make crushed ice in your blender. Either hit the “crush ice” button (if there is one), blend the cubes at high or medium speed, or use the “pulse” button until the ice reaches the desired consistency. To prevent large ice cubes from damaging the blender’s blades, wrap the ice in a clean towel and bash it with a rolling pin first. Alternatively, place the ice in a zip-top bag and smash it with a wooden mallet, a rolling pin or a heavy skillet.