Dark Rum

Molasses-forward rum, often heavily caramelized and assertive.

Spirits Caribbean 40% ABV
Flavor profile: boozysweet

Dark rum overlaps with aged rum but implies a darker, richer, often heavier style — the rums of the British Caribbean, plus Gosling's Black Seal from Bermuda. Some are aged; some achieve their color from added caramel. Myers's, Gosling's, and Coruba are common workhorses. The essential use is the Dark & Stormy: Gosling's Black Seal floated over ginger beer, a trademarked pairing that Bermudians defend in court. For a Hurricane, the dark rum carries the drink through passion fruit and citrus.

Common uses

Dark & Stormy, Hurricane, Rum Punch.

Cocktails that use Dark Rum

  • Dark & Stormy — Dark rum floated over spicy ginger beer — Bermuda's national drink
  • Hurricane — Dark and light rum with passion fruit and citrus — New Orleans' Pat O'Brien's classic
  • Rum Punch — One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak — the Caribbean formula

Substitutes

  • Aged Rum — Comparable weight and barrel character.
  • Blackstrap Rum — Even heavier and more molasses-forward.