Rum Runner

A classic Tiki Cocktail, the Rum Runner has two types of Rum and plenty of fruity flavours for a really fun and tropical drink. It has some more unusual liqueurs that you may not have on hand, namely Banana and Blackberry, but if you have them, everything is simple! Or hey, maybe you already had these liqueurs and put them into our cocktail generator to see what you could make.

Either way you found this cocktail, it's a great Tiki drink that's easy to enjoy. And if you've seen different recipes elsewhere, don't fret! This cocktail recipe has been around long enough that there are some variations out there. This also means you're free to do your own riff on this classic cocktail if you want.

Make what you like and enjoy.

Total Time 4

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

30 mL White Rum
30 mL Dark Rum
30 mL Banana Liqueur
15 mL Blackberry Liqueur
30 mL Pineapple Juice
1 splash Grenadine
Garnish with seasonal fruit

Instructions

Add all ingredients, except for the garnish, to a cocktail shaker filler with ice. Shake everything until very cold.
Strain into a Hurricane glass with ice.
Garnish, serve, and drink.

Notes

Just because there's lots of fruit juice and liqueur here doesn't mean you should use bad Rum. Make sure you use good Rum here for the best possible cocktail. With so many other flavours in the drink, you want to make sure the Rum shines through!

The history behind this cocktail says that it was invented in the 1950's at a Tiki bar called Holiday Isle in Key West, Florida. The name suits as this was an area, historically, where people were smuggling in Rum during Prohibition in the United States.

Enjoy this cocktail in all its tropical glory.

Our Review of the Rum Runner

I’m pretty partial to rum based cocktails, especially rum based cocktails that use more than one kind of rum. Because of this, the Rum Runner looked to be a good cocktail, and my assumptions were right!

The Rum Runner can’t get more tropical. Rum is always a great base for cocktails with a tropical vibe. Add banana flavours from the liqueur and pineapple juice and things get really tropical. Of course the blackberry liqueur isn’t the most tropical of flavours, but it manages to add both a little tang to go with the pineapple and some further sweetness to straighten things out.

All of this may sound like there’s a lot going on in the Rum Runner, but it actually works very well. It’s not a cocktail that I would really be having daily, or really all that regularly, but it’s perfect for a treat or on a hot and humid day. It’s also a cocktail that I’d love to enjoy on the beach while I’m on holiday or something like that. So, as I said, the Rum Runner isn’t really an “every day cocktail,” but it is a cocktail for a specific time and place.

Of course that’s just me. I don’t like to get too fancy with things if I just want to put my feet up and enjoy a drink at the end of a long day. That’s not to say I can’t relax with something a little bigger, I’m just talking about when I want to make a quick drink. A cocktail like the Rum Runner requires more ingredients and a little more thought. Sure, I’d love to relax with it, but I have to prepare it first.

Enjoy a Rum Runner on the next hot and humid day or if you’re have a Tiki night with friends. It’s a good one to add to the menu.

8/10

Review by Chas

While you’re having your Rum Runner, take a look at these other cocktail recipes

We’re always adding more cocktail recipes to this site, so check back often. In the meantime, have a look at some other stuff we think you may like:

All Tiki cocktail recipes: we’ll start with the Tiki stuff. These are fun, sometimes a bit strong, and often flamboyant cocktails like this one. Enjoy!

All White Rum cocktail recipes: if White Rum is your thing, you’ll love our archive of White Rum cocktail recipes. Take a look.

All Dark Rum cocktail recipes: or if you want to look darker, here’s some recipes you’ll be sure to be interested in.

Top 10 Rum cocktail recipes: or just take a look at the Rum cocktail recipes we think are the best. You won’t be disappointed.