Finding a G&T moment

We go on the hunt for long rum drinks

You don’t have to look far around your town or city’s bar area to find bar-boards or signs advertising gin and tonics. In the drinks world, other categories are looking at gin with envious eyes, because the tonic water addition has opened it up to the masses of drinks lovers.

Rum is increasingly being regarding as a sipping drink and its versatility affords it a lot of friends, whether they’re cocktail fans, those looking for something other than whisky to nurse, or on a night out. Now, you might say what about the rum and coke, or Cuba Libre? Well as we increasingly look to make some healthier choices, the idea of adding a mixer that is notoriously sugary to what is – when we are honest with ourselves – alcohol, people are more often turning their back on the classic rum and mixer.

So what alternatives are out there? If rum’s to hit the mainstream in the same way as gin, does it need a mixer to draw in those new to the drink?

In July, mixer producer Fentimans launched its Tropical Soda, a drink that the producer claims was made specifically for the rum market and was developed by a group Fentimans call the Botanical Collective – essentially a group of top bartenders from cocktails bars across Europe.

Tropical Soda is a sweet, pineapple forward drink with a subtle hint of spice in the background. Fentimans suggests serving Tropical Soda with a spiced rum and a squeeze of lime. Their choice of rum specifically is Sailor Jerry, so that gives you an idea of the kind of flavour they believe pairs well.

Joe Hall, bar manager at Satan’s Whiskers was part of the Botanical Collective and comments, “Working with Fentimans to create Tropical Soda has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Combining our varied on-trade acumen with their clear mastery of craft has resulted in an objectively delicious product that we feel, fills a real gap in the market. Whether in mixers of cocktails, I’m now excited to sit back and observe how it flourishes within the industry.”

To serve Tropical Soda, it’s a simple case of measuring out your rum – somewhere between a single and double serve – and topping up with Fentimans Tropical Soda over ice and squeezing a little lime juice.

Where to go however, if tropical isn’t quite your thing? Havana Club has been triumphing the classic Cancha cocktail, a long-drink take on the classic Canchánchara cocktail which is native to Trinidad. It lacks the one-addition approach of the G&T, but is still simple.

“If rum’s to hit the mainstream in the same way as gin, does it need a mixer to

draw in those new to the drink?”

The honey water and lime juice brings the sweetness that you’d normally get by mixing with coke, but with less sugar, while using sparkling water as a mixer is certainly a lowsugar option compared to traditional tonic water. Overall, it’s a welcome sipper that is easy-going, flavoursome and refreshing.

CANCHA

50ml Havana Club 7 Años

20ml honey water (mix a half honey with half warm water and let cool)

50ml of sparkling water

5ml lime juice

Lime wedge

Pour the rum, lime juice and honey water into a glass. Mix everything until the liquid honey dissolves. Lengthen the drink with sparkling water and add ice. Garnish with lime.

Sekforde is another mixer company that has options for the rum lovers in the group. The producer suggests that its mixers celebrate the flavours of rum, rather than seeking to dominate them. Sekforde specifically have a mixer for ‘light & spiced rum’. It contains 100 per cent natural ingredients and is low in sugar and calories. It brings a fresh lime note to rum drinks, and is created with a blend of rose and aromatic herbs, Ecuadorian cacao and mint.

Served with ice, it makes a highball-style drink with a lighter rum, or a gently spiced number. And what then of the classic rum and ginger ale? Many of the mixer companies on the market have a ginger offering in their portfolio, but certainly some are better than others. For its Premium Ginger Ale, Fever Tree uses a blend of three naturally sourced gingers, alongside botanical flavours and spring water. The three gingers are; Green Ginger from the Ivory Coast that delivers a lemongrass-like aroma, Nigerian Ginger that adds overall depth and finally Cochin Ginger which has an earthiness and is almost chocolatey in its aroma.

While it isn’t quite ‘low-sugar’ it’s sugar content sits just above what would a number of guidelines suggest to be ‘low’. Alongside the Premium Ginger Ale, Fever Tree also offers Smoky Ginger Ale and Spiced Orange Ginger Ale, so there’s the option of tailoring your drink to suit your palate.

Again, it’s a simple serve that goes a long way. Over ice, it can be as refreshing as a G&T and is arguable even more difficult to get wrong.

If part of the pleasure of a G&T is that it requires little effort, there’s a wealth of options out there for rum too. If cola is still your tipple, but you’re looking to make healthier choices, producers are looking to reduce the sugar content of their offerings.

Even among ardent of rum fans, there’s always going to be moments when you want a long, refresher rather than a punchy sipper, so it’s worth loading up your cupboards with a few options, plus it makes your rum go further.