Rum: The Drink of Patriots

"America's Native Spirit" is good-old bourbon whiskey, which has roots back to the days shortly after the American Revolution, but it was rum that "fed" the colonists for years before that. So, while we're celebrating the Fourth of July this weekend it seems most appropriate that if you want to drink like those patriots who founded the country, rum is the spirit of choice.

Rum was once the liquor of the colonies because it could survive the long import trips across the seas better than beer or wine. Drinks like Navy Grog (rum, lime, sugar and water) and Eggnog were influenced by the British and over the years others like the Planter's Punch, Black Stripe and Hot Buttered Rum became popular among the new Americans. Rum was cheap and for the most part still is and the colonies even took to importing molasses for their own New England distilleries. In a nutshell, rum fueled the revolution so to speak and if you want to get an in depth look at the spirit the best source is Wayne Curtis' book And a Bottle of Rum.

And on to some Independence Day rum cocktail suggestions... These selections are slightly more interesting and tasty than the Grog of old and many are true classic cocktails which have stood the test of time while a few others have captured our tastes recently and can be called the "new classics."

• Anejo Highball
• Bacardi Cocktail
• Bahama Mama
• Between the Sheets
• Blue Hawaiian
• Cable Car
• Daiquiri
• Hurricane
• Long Island Iced Tea
• Mai Tai
• Mary Pickford Cocktail
• Mojito