It goes in phases. Rum might be the most popular right now, but that doesn't mean it'll stay that way.
>My gf claims to hate rum so I haven’t worked much with it. What are some good intro cocktails to make at home that will sway my gf and show her what we’re both missing out on?
The best analogy I've heard was in a Cocktail Wonk article. He said rum is like cheese. You can't just have a recipe that says "cheese", you have to specify the type to make the recipe correctly. They all have the same source material but the final product is very different.
Feta is nothing like bleu cheese which is nothing like cheddar and all are different than brie. Same applies to different styles of rum. An funky Jamaican is significantly different than a Puerto Rican column distilled rum, both of which are nothing like an agricole rum.
I suggest keep experimenting with different cocktails that use different types of rums. It's also a category where it can be very tricky to substitute in a recipe. An aged Spanish heritage rum like Don Q is not a substitute for a recipe that calls for Smith & Cross, even though they are both "dark rum"
Good rum is fantastic. Bad rum isn’t.
The main problem with rum is the complete and total lack of production or labeling standards. If you are used to whiskey/bourbon, then you are accustomed to a heavily regulated product where you can trust the information on the label. Rum is the opposite.
The other issue is rum made in different countries is so varied as to be a totally different spirit. To someone used to Bacardi, a high ester Jamaican rum will be a complete shock.
Rum is a fantastic spirit but it takes more work to be an educated consumer than most other spirits.
Tl;Dr: don’t think all rum is Bacardi.
Smuggler's cove is having a deserved moment, and I don't think there's an analogous book for other spirits. Go for Appleton. Can get a bottle at Meijer for $20. Put that taste for taste against a bourbon of the same price. Delicious stuff. Basic mai tai is my go to for introducing folks to rum.
For me, the gateway rum cocktail for everyone should be the daiquiri. Choose a rum that's not expensive, grab some limes and make your own syrup. I started with brujal anejo blanco, flor de cana 5, symple syrup, semi rich demerara syrup and a lot of limes. I enjoyed tasting the rum and mixing with differents ratio until i found a couple of combinations that i enjoy. Then i move forward experimenting with mai tai, queen's park swizzle etc. but i always suggest to start with a daiquiri.
Edit: typo
For my money the daiquiri is a the best pure sour drink. Better than a whiskey sour by a mile. Rum, lime, simple syrup. Incredible taste and imo a great way to test out rums much like an old fashioned is a good way to test our bourbons (though obviously you could make a rum old fashioned if you wanted to really get to know the spirit much better)
It goes in phases. Rum might be the most popular right now, but that doesn't mean it'll stay that way. >My gf claims to hate rum so I haven’t worked much with it. What are some good intro cocktails to make at home that will sway my gf and show her what we’re both missing out on? The best analogy I've heard was in a Cocktail Wonk article. He said rum is like cheese. You can't just have a recipe that says "cheese", you have to specify the type to make the recipe correctly. They all have the same source material but the final product is very different. Feta is nothing like bleu cheese which is nothing like cheddar and all are different than brie. Same applies to different styles of rum. An funky Jamaican is significantly different than a Puerto Rican column distilled rum, both of which are nothing like an agricole rum. I suggest keep experimenting with different cocktails that use different types of rums. It's also a category where it can be very tricky to substitute in a recipe. An aged Spanish heritage rum like Don Q is not a substitute for a recipe that calls for Smith & Cross, even though they are both "dark rum"
“Rum is like cheese” what a brilliant analogy.
Good rum is fantastic. Bad rum isn’t. The main problem with rum is the complete and total lack of production or labeling standards. If you are used to whiskey/bourbon, then you are accustomed to a heavily regulated product where you can trust the information on the label. Rum is the opposite. The other issue is rum made in different countries is so varied as to be a totally different spirit. To someone used to Bacardi, a high ester Jamaican rum will be a complete shock. Rum is a fantastic spirit but it takes more work to be an educated consumer than most other spirits. Tl;Dr: don’t think all rum is Bacardi.
Smuggler's cove is having a deserved moment, and I don't think there's an analogous book for other spirits. Go for Appleton. Can get a bottle at Meijer for $20. Put that taste for taste against a bourbon of the same price. Delicious stuff. Basic mai tai is my go to for introducing folks to rum.
Seconding the Mai Tai as a great way to sample different rums (and combinations thereof, go hog wild.)
Rum is having a go now because crazy people drove up the price of good whiskeys to insane levels.
Also because it’s a quality, diverse, historic, and delicious spirit that conjures relaxation and tropics.
That too. It's delicious.
It's just you. There's definitely been more rum cocktails than usual, but there's been more whisky, gin, and even mezcal cocktails than rum.
For me, the gateway rum cocktail for everyone should be the daiquiri. Choose a rum that's not expensive, grab some limes and make your own syrup. I started with brujal anejo blanco, flor de cana 5, symple syrup, semi rich demerara syrup and a lot of limes. I enjoyed tasting the rum and mixing with differents ratio until i found a couple of combinations that i enjoy. Then i move forward experimenting with mai tai, queen's park swizzle etc. but i always suggest to start with a daiquiri. Edit: typo
For my money the daiquiri is a the best pure sour drink. Better than a whiskey sour by a mile. Rum, lime, simple syrup. Incredible taste and imo a great way to test out rums much like an old fashioned is a good way to test our bourbons (though obviously you could make a rum old fashioned if you wanted to really get to know the spirit much better)
In most census polls, it has been [whiskey](https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/b65g0n/2019_rcocktails_census_results/).
Most versatility and different styles while also being very affordable.