Classic Cocktails: Dark ‘n’ Stormy

When it comes to summer drinks what comes to mind: a beer, maybe sangria or even a mimosa? While these are all excellent options every once in a while I find myself searching for something with a little more spice. This weekend is calling for rain so why not break out some rum and try a Dark ‘n’ Stormy.

When John Gosling arrived on the shores of Bermuda in 1806 it is very unlikely that he knew what laid ahead for him and his family. The rum trade was big business back then and their rum really stood out. It did not hurt that the company truly understood the importance of promotion. Quickly establishing and trademarking the Dark ‘n’ Stormy highball, a mixture of their rum, ginger beer and a hint of lime, that’s right they trademarked it! This cocktail is now well known and respected in the maritime community, in part due to the company becoming the official rum of the Americas Cup.

All drinks, and foods for that matter, try to blend several ingredients together harmoniously to create something greater than the sum of its parts. The spicy ginger blast is offset with the complex and robust sweetness of Gosling’s rum. The lime offers an acidic citrus note to the highball. Although traditionally the order that the ingredients introduced is not of great importance, it is with this highball. Built in the glass, ginger beer needs to go in first followed by the rum if presentation is important.

As with every cocktail there always seems to be ways to bastardize the original combination. Variations include muddling some lime into the cocktail or simply adding a lime ring for garnish also adding a dash or two of Angostura bitters for some extra complexity has come up in our search more than once. As we all search for our version of perfection many a bar back will play around with recipes in an attempt to improve on the original. Having been trademarked the official Dark ‘n’ Stormy has name variants including Dark and Stormy and Dark and Stormy Night.

Recipe:

1 lime wedge or wheel (optional)

3 oz. ginger beer

2 oz. Gosling’s Rum

Serve chilled or on the rocks.

Yes, we are calling for rain here over the weekend, and our storms are nothing in comparison to those of the Caribbean but if you close your eyes while sipping this sensation you might just envision a tropical storm rolling in from a distance.