How to Easily Adapt Your Rum Runner Recipe

Rum first appeared in historical records in 1650. Since then, it has blossomed into a drink of choice for Royal Navy sailors, fictional pirates, and vacationers alike.

There's no shortage of cocktails that you can make with a shot or two of smooth, spicy rum. Despite the bold, full flavor of rum, it's often paired with sweet, fruity ingredients, creating a drink that's made for drinking on the beach. Daiquiris are one of the most popular rum cocktails. But one of the most iconic is the rum runner.

The rum runner recipe combines light and dark rum with several fruit juices and liqueurs. Let's dive into the history of this classic cocktail and some interesting adaptations you can make to mix it up.

What is a Rum Runner?

The rum runner cocktail got its name from the early days of American Prohibition. Boat captains would pick up shipments of rum in the Caribbean, and transport it to Florida in secret. Hence, the term "rum running" was born. The cocktail of the same name first appeared at a tiki bar in Islamorada, an island in the Florida Keys, in the 1950s.

The typical list of rum runner ingredients includes one ounce each of the following:

• Light rum
• Dark rum
• Banana liqueur
• Blackberry liqueur
• Orange juice
• Pineapple juice

Finish with a splash of grenadine and garnish with an orange slice and a cocktail cherry.

Making a Rum Runner Unique

One of the best parts of making cocktails at your own home bar is the chance to mix up and customize your recipes. The same goes for rum runners.

There are a variety of options for making a rum runner unique. If you prefer a more tart flavor, adding an ounce of lime juice is a great choice. You can even take this one step further with a slice or two of lime as a garnish in your glass.

For an added dose of rum flavor, make your rum runner, and then add another shot to the top as a chaser.

If you want to get in full vacation mode, you can also turn your favorite rum runner recipe into a frozen concoction. Use the same ingredients, but toss them in a blender with ice instead. Add a couple of blackberries or cocktail cherries to the top, along with a paper umbrella and a straw, and you've got the perfect drink for a hot day.

Making Your Own Unique Rum Runner Recipe

There are plenty of ways that you can mix up and customize your rum runner recipe. From adding a chaser to blending your rum runner into a frozen cocktail, these recipes are great for creating your own unique drink.

If you're ready to start mixing up your own rum runners in your home bar, you'll first need a great rum.

Pusser's Rum offers a variety of delicious, award-winning rums to choose from. Produced in stills in Guyana, Pusser's Rum is the only rum still blended in exact accordance with the specifications that the Royal Navy used when it last provided daily rations to navy sailors. Shop our selection of rums today to find just the right blend for your own custom rum runner.