The Banana Hammock, the Smoky Rose and ten more drinks for National Rum Day

Yo, ho, ho, today is National Rum Day and I can proudly say I'm a rum drinker. All those pirate movies and vacations in Puerto Rico helped set me up for conversion, but it was reading And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails that sealed the deal. Rum is the spirit of the western hemisphere and its history is deeply intertwined with the history of our country and its neighbors. There's something about rum that infuses those summer days, BBQs, festivals and hangs on your neighbor's backporch with a bit of adventure. For today, we've gathered more than a dozen drink recipes meant to accompany rums by Sailor Jerry, Ron Abuelo and Cruzan. No time for recipes? Grab some good ginger beer and some limes and your'e golden. Either way, its rum day, so you've got an excuse to indulge.

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum seems to be the rocker's choice of rums lately—or at least they've done a good job of getting it in every rocker's hands who passes through these parts. I've found that Sailor Jerry's notes of vanilla amidst its spices produce some complex libations without a lot of effort. Here are four of our favorite concoctions from the Sailor Jerry vaults.

Rockabilly Juice
2 parts Sailor Jerry
½ parts Lemon Juice
1/3 parts Orange Curacao
2 parts Black Tea (iced tea)
Glass: Highball
Method: Build over ice in a tall glass, squeeze and drop in a lemon wedge

Back Yard Tea
2 parts Sailor Jerry
1 part iced tea
2 parts lemonade
Glass:  highball
Method:   Add ingredients to in ice-filled glass and garnish with a lemon wedge

Perfect Storm
2 parts Sailor Jerry
Ginger beer
2/3 lime wedges
Glass:  highball / beer glass
Method:  Build in glass over cubed ice & garnish with squeezed lime wedges

Banana Hammock
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
Homemade Banana Syrup
Fresh Lime Juice
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Spiced Banana Rim
To prepare
1.5 oz SJ
.75 oz homemade banana syrup (1:1:1 ratio)
.75 fresh lime juice
Dash of angostura bitters
Shaken over ice. Strained into a coupe glass with spiced banana dusted rim
(Spiced banana dusted rim is sugar carmelized with homemade banana syrup and SJ)
Banana Hammock - Created by TJ + Richard  of Mothers Ruin NYC with the help from Paul Monahan Sailor Jerry National BA

Ron Abuelo rums are created entirely from estate-grown sugar cane in Panama by the family-owned Varela Hermanos. The company dates back to 1908. The Ron Abuelo 7 Años is aged for seven years in small oak barrels. Here's six ways to enjoy it.

The Panamanian Soother (also refers to it as The Sage Panamanian)
, created by Jonathan Pogash, master mixologist:
(Pitcher drink - served 8-10) 

1 1/2 cups Ron Abuelo Añejo
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1oz agave nectar 

1 pack blueberries 

12 sage leaves 

2 bottles Diet Ginger Beer (Barritts's or Regatta)
Directions: In large pitcher, muddle the berries and thyme together. Then add remaining ingredients with ice and stir very well.

Lord Panama
2 oz Ron Abuelo Añejo or 7 Años
5 oz ginger beer 
Lime wedge
Pour the Abuelo over ice in a highball glass then fill with ginger beer. Squeeze in a lime wedge. Stir to mix.

Early Riser
1-1/2oz Ron Abuelo Añejo
1/2oz Jumbie Coconut Splash
1oz fresh mango juice
1oz pineapple juice
Pour all ingredients into an iced filled shaker.  Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass. Garnish with maraschino cherries and orange slices. 

Abuelorita
2oz Ron Abuelo Añejo
1oz triple sec
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
In a shaker filled with ice add all ingredients and shake vigorously.  Strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with lime wedge. 

Abuelo Sparkler
2oz Ron Abuelo Añejo
4oz Sparkling Wine
Ginger ale
In a tall glass pour Ron Abuelo and sparkling wine.  Top with ginger ale. 

Smoky Rose
Mixologist: Gabriel Orta, W Hotel, Miami, FL
1-1/2oz Ron Abuelo Añejo

3/4oz Lemon juice
1/2oz Agave nectar
1/2oz Apple cider
4-5 Chunks of apple

1 Rosemary sprig
Muddle apple chunks in a shaker and then pour in rest of the ingredients. Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of apple.

Cruzan, the family run rum distillery from Saint Croix makes a variety of interesting rums, like the Black Strap, that make for unusual drinks, but this season they're hyping the Strawberry and we're not fighting it.

Cruzan Strawberry Mai Tai
1 ½ parts Cruzan Strawberry
½ part Dekuyper Orange Curacao
1 ½ parts fresh lime juice
¾ parts Simple Syrup
½ parts Finest Call Orgeat Syrup
Fill mixing glass ¾ with cubed ice, strain into 14oz. mixing glass full of crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple cube and cherry speared and a mint sprig.

Cruzan Lemonade
1 part Cruzan Light Rum
A splash of lime juice
Lemon/lime soda

Pour Cruzan Light Rum over ice in a long drink glass. Fill with lemon/lime soda and squeeze a lime wedge over and drop in.

For more Cruzan rum drink recipes, hit rumforallseasons.com