Blackberry Mojito recipe

This mojito by our bartender Alyvia Cai is anything but the usual suspect — bursting with blackberries, plus our terrific, handcrafted Tiki Rum, fresh-squeezed lime juice and summer mint.

BLACKBERRY MOJITO

By Alyvia Cain of Cardinal Spirits

2 oz Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
4 blackberries
Fresh mint
Club soda

In a shaker, muddle 3 blackberries and simple syrup. Add the rum, lime juice, and mint to the shaker, and then add ice. Shake well, then double-strain over ice in a Collins glass. Top with club soda, then garnish with a blackberry and mint sprig.

Beach Scene cocktail recipe

How to make a summery Beach Scene cocktail using Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum.

BEACH SCENE

Makes 1 cocktail

By Jake Cifuentes

3/4 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1.5 ounces berry-aronia juice
2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
Club soda
Edible orchid, for garnish

Add all ingredients except club soda and flower to a shaker, then add ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Add club soda to top off the cocktail. Garnish with an edible orchid if you're feeling fancy. 

Night Swim cocktail recipe

One of our favorite cocktails this summer has been a rum Old Fashioned made with our Lake House Spiced Rum. This version by our bartender Kevin Hinkle combines our spiced rum with our White Oak Whiskey for a one-of-a-kind twist on an Old Fashioned.

NIGHT SWIM

By Kevin Hinkle of Cardinal Spirits

1 ounce Cardinal Spirits Lake House Spiced Rum
3/4 ounce Cardinal Spirits White Oak Whiskey
1/4 ounce vanilla demerara syrup (recipe follows)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
1 orange wheel, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass or tin, then add ice. Stir several times to chill and dilute the cocktail. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, then garnish with an orange wheel.

To make vanilla demerara syrup: Combine 1 cup water and 2 cups turbinado sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Split 1 vanilla bean and add it to the saucepan. Let the syrup cool completely, then remove the vanilla bean.

Rassle Dassle Rose cocktail recipe

This is the summer cocktail you've been waiting for ... bright and smooth, with light, tropical flavors from our Tiki Rum, which scored 92 points and a "Best Buy" rating from Wine Enthusiast. This recipe by Cardinal Spirits bartender Kevin Hinkle is a must-try this weekend:

RASSLE DASSLE ROSE

By Kevin Hinkle of Cardinal Spirits

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce orgeat syrup
2 raspberries
2 dashes rhubarb bitters

Add all ingredients to a shaker, then add ice. Shake vigorously, then double-strain into a coupe glass. 

McDoel Gardens cocktail recipe

Our light, tropical Tiki Rum meets green things from the garden, and it just works. Try this refreshing recipe by our bartender Chris Resnick this weekend:

McDOEL GARDENS

By Chris Resnick of Cardinal Spirits

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
2 slices cucumber
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce Cardinal Spirits Flora
Sprig of dill

Add all ingredients to a shaker, then muddle to release flavors of cucumber and dill. Add ice to the shaker, then shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Riverboat Gambler cocktail recipe

Have you ever thought to infuse our Tiki Rum with tea? It's a brilliant little twist by our bartender Chris Resnick and you've got to try it in this cocktail recipe of his:

RIVERBOAT GAMBLER

By Chris Resnick of Cardinal Spirits

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum infused with Darjeeling tea
3/4 ounce Cardinal Spirits Flora
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
2 strawberries, one for garnish

Add 1 strawberry and Flora to a shaker and muddle to break up the strawberry. Add the tea-infused rum (recipe follows) and lime juice to the shaker, than add ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

For the Darjeeling tea-infused Tiki Rum: Place two Darjeeling tea bags in a bottle of Tiki Rum (750ml) and let steep for two hours. Remove tea bags and discard.

92 Points Cocktail Recipe

This 92 Points cocktail plays up all the best parts of Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum, a light, tropical rum that was just awarded 92 points and a “Best Buy” rating from Wine Enthusiast magazine. The recipe easily scales up to a punch — just add the ginger beer right before serving, or let guests top their drinks with ginger beer themselves.

92 POINTS

Recipe by Cardinal Spirits

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
1 ounce pineapple juice
1/2 ounce ginger syrup
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
2 dashes bitters
1 ounce ginger beer, more or less to taste
Mint sprig, for garnish

Add rum, pineapple juice, ginger syrup, lemon juice and bitters to a shaker, then add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, then top with ginger beer and garnish with mint.

To make ginger syrup: Peel several chunks of ginger, slice into thin rounds. Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and stir to dissolve sugar. Add sliced ginger to the saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain ginger slices from syrup before using.

3 ways to drink our new Lake House Spiced Rum

Our newest spirit is a celebration of all things landlocked — namely lakes and the people who frequent them.

Introducing: Lake House Spiced Rum.

Lake House Spiced Rum debuts this weekend at the distillery with bottle sales beginning at noon Friday, plus special rum cocktails and even free distillery tours on Saturday, as long as you RSVP.

Lake House Spiced Rum is made in small batches from natural, whole botanical ingredients like orange peel, vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper and cardamom — no flavoring extracts, no coloring.

It hits the spot when you're grilling out. It's part of the perfect boat cocktail for a Saturday on the lake. It's what you bring to your neighbor's pool party. It's your reward after cutting the grass. It's meant for nights spent around a campfire.

Here's how we'd drink it if we were you:

1. RUM AND COKE. 

Lake House Spiced Rum will make you fall in love with rum and Cokes all over again. Whether it's your go-to drink, or it's one you haven't had since college, our rum has a way of making this simple mixed drink something to savor. 

"The cardamom we use in our spiced rum really comes through," says our distiller Justin Hughey. "Some rums don't push through Coke. But ours does."

Hey, we are the first to admit that we love fancy cocktails with six ingredients that are made from scratch and fresh squeezed and what not ... but we cannot deny the bliss of a straightforward, no-recipe mixed drink like a rum and Coke. 

2. SERIOUS COCKTAILS.

Remember two seconds ago when we said we love fancy cocktails? It's a good thing we did not throw fancy cocktails under the bus just to make a point about rum and Cokes, because Lake House Spiced Rum is right at home in serious cocktails, too.

At the distillery this weekend, we'll be mixing two special rum cocktails. One will have our spiced rum, our Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur, honey syrup and lemon. And the other will have our spiced rum with ginger syrup, lime and bitters. Don't choose. Try both. And then ask our bartender for the recipes so you can recreate them at home.

(Also, try Lake House Spiced Rum in an Old Fashioned. You're welcome.)

3. TIKI DRINKS.

Lake House Spiced Rum likes a trip to the tropics just like any other booze. Try it in classic tiki cocktails like Pieces of Eight or a Daiquiri. You bet we'll be using it on Tiki Tuesdays around the distillery.

BACKSEAT FREESTYLE COCKTAIL RECIPE

Our Tiki Rum isn't just for tropical cocktails. Here, it hobnobs with blackberries, lime and a splash of licorice root tea, which gives the whole thing a little earthiness.

BACKSEAT FREESTYLE

By Stella Snyder of Cardinal Spirits

3 blackberries
3/4 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce licorice root tea (prepare a cup of tea ahead)
1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

Add blackberries and simple syrup to a shaker and muddle to release juice from the berries. Add remaining ingredients to the shaker, then add ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with blackberries.

SERRANO DAIQUIRI RECIPE

A classic daiquiri couldn't be simpler: It's just rum, lime and sugar. You know the daiquiri. You love the daiquiri. Now it's time to have some fun with the daiquiri.

Adding a few slices of serrano pepper into the shaker zaps this cocktail with some satisfying heat. It warms you without being warm itself, you know? You could tame it down with just one or two slices of pepper if you'd like.

SERRANO DAIQUIRI

By Jake Cifuentes of Cardinal Spirits

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
3 slices serrano pepper

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a slice of serrano pepper.