If the only rum you drink is in a Captain Coke or is of the sickly-sweet-Malibu-rums variety, it may be time to kick the old college standbys and pick up a cocktail whose complexity can’t be compared to that of a goldfish.
We’re not saying you need to be devastatingly classy, but this Friday is National Rum Day, and while we’re starting to suspect that whoever is designating all these National Days has had a bit too much to drink (see our National Tequila Day list here), we could never pass on an excuse to channel our inner Jack Sparrow. Check out our list of lovingly crafted rum-based cocktails in LA, so you’ll never be asking, “But where is the rum?”
Jamaican Maroon
Where: Le Ka | 800 W 6th St., Los Angeles, CA 90017
Price: $13
What’s in it: Appleton Rum, Meletti Amaro, Velvet Falernum, orange bitters, cayenne salt and lemon peel
Spiced Mule
Where: Roger Room | 370 La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90048
Price: $14
What’s in it: Rum, vanilla, nutmeg, ginger juice, lime juice, cinnamon and club soda
http://www.therogerroom.com/
Parlay
Where: Plan Check Kitchen + Bar | 1800 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
Price: $12
What’s in it: Mt. Gay dark rum, coconut water, lime, orgeat, falernum, bitters
http://www.plancheckbar.com/
Natural Daiquiri at Caña Rum Bar
Natural Daiquiri
Where: Caña Rum Bar | 714 W Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015
Price: $12
What’s in it: Caliché Puerto Rican Rum, fresh lime and raw sugar
http://213nightlife.com/canarumbar
Cucumber Hibiscus Mojito
Where: Dominick’s | 8715 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, California 90048
Price: $11
What’s in it: Flor De Cana, lime juice, fresh cucumber and mint with housemade grenadine topped with soda
http://www.dominicksrestaurant.com/
Planter’s Punch
Where: Little Dom’s | 2128 Hillhurst Ave. Los Angeles, 90027
Price: $11
What’s in it: Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, lime, hibuscus grenadine, orgeat, angostura and mint
http://littledoms.com/
Hotel Nacional at The Eveleigh
Hotel Nacional
Where: Eveleigh | 8752 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Price: $12
What’s in it: Rum, Apricot Eau de Vie, fresh pineapple, lime and cane sugar
http://www.theeveleigh.com/bar/
The Zombie
Where: Bar 1886 at The Raymond |1250 South Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105
Price: $14
What’s in it: 3 kinds of Rum, passion fruit, lime, lemon, pineapple and demarara syrup
http://theraymond.com/
Mango Mojito
Where: La Sandia | 395 Santa Monica Pl Ste 305, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Price: $9.50
What’s in it: Castillo Rum, mango, mint and lime
http://www.richardsandoval.com/lasandiasm/
No Ordinary Joe
Where: The Spare Room | 7000 Hollywood Boulevard,Los Angeles, CA 90028
Price: $13
What’s in it: Caliché Puerto Rican Rum, espresso, mango, bitters, dry caramel and urfa biber
http://spareroomhollywood.com/