I understand why people tend to associate rum with hot weather. It’s usually made in tropical climates and enjoyed in beach bars, by the pool or while being entertained by a Jimmy Buffett cover band. (Or Kenny Chesney — same thing.)
While I enjoy a rum and cola as much as the next person, and I went through a period where “Papa Dobles” (double Hemingway daiquiris) were the specialty of my home bar until I realized that my blood pressure medicine is counteracted by grapefruit juice, darn it, I really enjoy rum drinks when the weather gets chillier.
Hot buttered rum, a Dark 'n' Winter Stormy made with ginger tea instead of ginger beer, or a Spanish Kalimoxto of tempranillo wine and cola plus white rum and Fernet Branca and maybe a shake of Angostura bitters for good measure, bring 'em all to me!
But the autumnal drink I enjoy most is the Havana Negroni, a variation on the three-ingredient classic cocktail that is an ideal balance of bitter and sweet and delightfully boozy. Plus, the recipe is easy to remember. One part Campari, one part sweet vermouth, one part dark rum. Stir in a cocktail pitcher over ice and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange rind, if you’re feeling fancy.
The beauty of this cocktail is the flexibility. The “one part” part could be an ounce, a cup, a shoe or a Mason jarful, depending on how many you want to make at once. Just as long as it’s the magic 1:1:1 ratio.
I wouldn’t tamper much with the Campari component; that’s pretty much the heart of the cocktail. But the sweet vermouth is open for experimentation from the sultry citrus, cherries and vanilla notes of Carpano Antica to the traditional fruity, nutty and grassy aromas of Dolin Rouge.
The last fun component to experiment with is the rum — always dark rum! The rum I’ve been Negroni-ing with lately is Sonrisa Reserva. The Puerto Rican distillery also makes a clear Platino version and an aged Oro Especial that will work in a pinch for a Negroni, but I prefer the deep dark cacao, caramel and pipe-tobacco components of the Reserva to stand out among the other bold flavors of a Havana Negroni.
The winner of a Gold Medal at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Sonrisa Reserva spends at least three years aging in used whiskey barrels to contribute an extra level of complexity to the flavors in the bottle that puts it in a category with higher-end tequilas and whiskeys.
Distributed locally by Best Brands, Sonrisa Reserva should retail in the $60 (plus-or-minus) range, right in line with many other premium rums. Do yourself a favor and make yourself a Havana Negroni sometime this week. But maybe just one. You did notice the decided lack of nonalcoholic ingredients in that recipe, right?
