I haven’t written about rum cocktails for awhile, so it was fortuitous that I received samples of a trio of Brugal rums from the Dominican Republic: the Brugal 1888, a sipper; Brugal Anejo, a dark rum; and Brugal Extra Dry, a light rum perfect for summer cocktails like the mojito or daiquiri. Brugal’s angle with the light rum is that it’s “extra dry.” How does this translates with taste? It’s light and crisp and not too sweet. And it mixes well with lemon juice and honey syrup to create the rummy Bees Knees.
This twist on a Bees Knees cocktail features smooth rum and bitters for extra spice.
Yes, it’s true that Bees Knees is a wedding season cocktail traditionally made with gin, but I think it works really well with rum. The honey syrup is naturally sweet, the perfect foil to the dry rum and tart lemon juice. I also love the addition of Angostura bitters — they add a spicy kick reminiscent of a rum punch but in a much lighter, more summery cocktail.
Bees Knees
- 2 oz Brugal Extra Dry Rum
- 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 oz honey syrup (1:1 ratio honey to water)
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe (I used a martini glass).
— Recipe courtesy Brugal Rum
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