Cocktail Romance: Dark and Stormy the Aussie Way

Sweet, sour, fizzy, the gentle heat of ginger and the unique flavour of rum – the Dark and Stormy rum cocktail is an absolute classic. But we think our Aussie twist on this delicious drink is pretty bloody good – we’re pretty proud of it.

Sydney’s been both dark and stormy this week, so we thought this cocktail would be perfect for this Friday Drinks. We’ve made our own version of this classic drink, using only Australian products.

The original Dark n Stormy cocktail came all the way from Bermuda. The Gosling Rum Company actually has the name trademarked (that’s why we’re calling ours a Dark and Stormy).

The ingredients:

The rum

We decided to use a golden rum rather than the dark Black Seal rum Goslings use. Iridium from Mount Uncle Distillery in Far-North Queensland is smoother than most golden rums. It’s also made from sugar cane molasses. So there.

Mark, the owner of Mount Uncle, produces some amazing spirits. His gin is well worth investing in.

The bubbles

Ordinarily, a Dark n Stormy uses ginger ale or ginger beer. Instead, we decided to use an Australian apple cider to bring the fizz. Pressman’s Cider is made with Aussie apples and gives the cocktail an amazing body.

The herbs

To counter the sweetness of the cider and the rum, we added a dash of Shrubs from Currong Comestibles. These syrups are made from Australian bush fruits. The one we used – the Riberry – is sour enough to balance the drink perfectly.

This drink is perfect for one of those evenings where the storm hasn’t arrived yet and the humidity’s really kicking in. So refreshing.

Aussie Dark and Stormy

Here’s what you need:

• 1x Iridium rum
• 1x dash of Riberry Shrub
• 1x chunk of peeled ginger
• 1x wedge of lime
• 1x bottle of Pressman’s Cider
• Lots of ice
• 2x lime wedges to garnish

Here’s what you do:

1. Muddle the lime, ginger and Riberry Shrub in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the rum and some ice and shake well.
3. Double strain into a mug over plenty of ice.
4. Top up with cider and garnish with lime wedges.

If this is a bit too strong alcohol-wise, Pressman’s also does a mid-strength cider which is just as tasty.

Alternatively you could use half cider and half soda water.

What’s your favourite rum cocktail? What do you drink when the humidity is making your head explode? Tell us in the comments.

Images by Mrs Romance.