Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something True: Our Four Most-Loved Caribbean Rum Drinks

The most beautiful marriages begin right here in tropical heaven. Morgan and Austin, Meg and Jacob, Jesse and Blake — the list of “I do’s” is too long for this space. But there’s one marriage that everyone who has ever been to a Sandals Resort can appreciate: Rum and the Caribbean.

People on the islands love rum the way Wisconsinites love beer and Texans love brisket. In fact, on every island, a “welcome” is followed by a little rum whenever a guest shows up at the doorstep, which takes us back to Sandals. Born and raised in the heart of rum culture, the mixologists at each resort are some of the most knowledgeable rum experts in the region. So, to find the best matches of island-specific rum to Caribbean-specific drinks, we went to these rum maestros and asked very simply, “Can you mix us up a rum marriage made in Caribbean heaven?”

Here's what they served us.

Something Old: The Rum Old-Fashioned

Why Our Mixologists Love It:

Not long after Jamaica’s Appleton Estate began distilling rum more than 250 years ago, Jamaicans decided to rum-ify the classic old-fashioned to align with the island spirit: chill, naturally sweet, and reverent to the island heritage. It’s no surprise, then, that the rum old-fashioned immediately became one of the most popular drinks at Dunn’s Rum Club when Sandals Dunn’s River opened in 2023 as a luxurious homage to pure Jamaica — less than 70 miles from Appleton Estate.

How We Make It:

• Pour 1½ of Appleton 12-year rum into a shaker with ½ oz of Maker’s Mark bourbon.
• Add ¼ oz of simple syrup and 2 dashes of bitters.
• Strain mixture into a chilled glass and add three ice cubes.
• Garnish with two orange peels.

Something New: Higgin's Swizzle

Why Our Mixologists Love It:

While Sandals guests might instinctively order a rum swizzle, our bartenders will be quick to suggest this splashy new version because of its classic Caribbean enhancement. The differentiator? The sweetener. Falernum which has been a bar staple in Barbados for over 200 years. It’s now the secret liqueur that gives this Sandals cocktail its island accents of ginger, citrus, almond, clove, and nutmeg. Which leaves us with the question of, “Who is Higgins?” That’s a story for the bartenders to tell.

How We Make It:

• Fill 2/3 of a glass with crushed ice.
• Pour 2 oz of Appleton Signature Rum and 2/3 oz of falernum liqueur into the glass.
• Add ½ oz of lime juice and 3 teaspoons of sugar.
• Finish by swizzling with a swizzle stick.
• Garnish with a mint sprig and orange slice.

Something Borrowed: Espresso Rumtini

Why Our Mixologists Love It:

We don’t claim to be discoverers of the espresso martini. It’s a trendy drink worldwide, but the bartenders on the islands have Sandal-ized it with Caribbean infusions. They use sugarcane- and molasses-based dark rums for an easier taste than martinis made with vodka or gin derived from corn and wheat. What takes it over the edge is the espresso in the Sandals rumtini is pulled from coffee beans grown in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains.

How We Make It:

• Fill half a shaker with ice.
• Pour in 11/3 ml Appleton Estate Signature rum, 1 tablespoon of orange liqueur, 2 teaspoons of creme de cacao, and 11/3 teaspoons of vanilla syrup.
• Add 11/3 oz of Blue Mountain Espresso coffee.
• Shake for 30-40 seconds until the drink is chilled and mixed well.
• Strain the espresso martini into a glass and garnish with coffee beans.

Something True: Planters Punch

Why Our Mixologists Love It:

Ask any guest to describe their Sandals vacation, and there’s a good chance that at some point this signature drink will be a part of their response. The beauty is that guests can ask for the Planters Punch to be made with rum that is also true to the destination. On St. Lucia, order a rum distilled at the base of a volcano. In Jamaica, there are rums with hints of banana or plum, and in Grenada it’s clove and cinnamon. Then there’s Sandals St. Vincent, where guests ordering a Planters Punch at Three Jewels Rum Bar can choose from a buffet of 32 rums sourced from St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Martinique, and the chain of less-traveled Grenadines islands, where some rums never leave the region because the overproof makes them too “warm” to legally transport. To enjoy a Planters Punch in Caribbean-style, toast to the island, look out to the ocean, and relax.

How We Make It:

• To a mixing glass, add ½ oz dark rum and 1 oz Jamaican Gold Rum.
• Top rum blend with ¼ oz simple syrup, ½ oz lime juice, and ½ oz grenadine.
• Fill ¾ of the glass with ice and shake vigorously.
• Strain mixture into a chilled large-handled couple glass, and garnish with an orange juice.
• Raise the glass and celebrate a perfect match made in the Caribbean.