The Spiced Orange Rumble Cocktail

I love a bit, or sometimes a lot, of spice and herbs in my cocktails. They often help transform a traditional, somewhat pedestrian cocktail into a unique one with unusual but absolutely delicious flavors. Here’s my take on a rum-based drink that makes use of some exotic spices to create a versatile cocktail perfect for any season of the year!

One thing I love most about the spirits world is the literally unlimited variation of cocktails available. Choose your base spirit (vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, tequila – you get the idea!), then choose your mixers (citrus, flavored liqueurs, tonics, sodas, etc.), and finally, add your spices or herbs to round out and complete your drink. These can include bitters (the salt and pepper of the cocktail world), herbs (think basil, lavender, mint, rosemary, or even cilantro), or spices like cinnamon, clove, or cardamom. These spices are usually introduced into the drink via flavored spirits, liqueurs, or infused simple syrups.

I also love pepper-spiced cocktails that amp up the “heat” of the drink. You can find jalapeno or habanero-infused vodkas or tequilas in any liquor store, or you can make your own pepper-infused simple syrup where you are in charge of controlling the “heat” to your liking! Two of my favorite recent spicy-hot cocktails include the Spicy Mango Margarita from Tsunami Hibachi Grill and Sushi Bar, and the Smoky Spicy Berry Margarita from Agave Bandito – both had some serious heat to offset the sweet fruit in the mix.

Smoky Spicy Berry Margarita from Agave Bandito and Spicy Mango Margarita from Tsunami Restaurant

So, I decided to create my own spicy cocktail from scratch! I did this when the weather was a bit chilly and Laurie and I were wearing sweatshirts, so I was going for something that was a bit more warm and comforting to take the chill off things. That led me to think about warm, baking spices like clove, cinnamon, and cardamon along with vanilla, orange, and honey.

I settled on spiced rum as my base spirit and chose Captain Morgan Private Stock Spiced Rum, a fantastic aged rum that has a subtle sweetness to it, along with a smooth finish and rich flavors of vanilla, caramel, and oak (and all that for $23/750 ml)! This is also Laurie’s favorite sipping rum, so I wanted to make sure she was happy with the drink!

To get that classic orange flavor, I chose Orangecello, a sweet and refreshing Italian liqueur made from orange peel, sugar, and alcohol. Our favorite is Caravella, available for $19/750 ml. For the spice, I chose one of our favorite Curacaos, made with orange peel, botanicals, and rum. We stumbled on this version during one of our annual forays to St. Michaels, MD on the Chesapeake Bay to celebrate our anniversary. There is a local distillery there (Lyon Rum/Windon Distilling) that creates this delicious elixir. It’s heavy on clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other baking spices which gives it a warm, welcoming character. It’s entirely unique in that it has considerable spice and is much less sweet compared to a traditional Curacao. You can order it online from the distillery – it’s not cheap ($45/750ml) but it’s worth every penny.

I finished things off with some fresh squeezed lime juice for a bit of tartness and acidity to round out the drink. The result was a warming but also refreshing drink that was both spicy and subtly sweet as well. And even though this drink is perfect for chilly weather, it can really be considered an all-weather cocktail to be enjoyed any time of the year. Give this one a try and let me know what you think!

 Spiced Orange Rumble (makes 1 cocktail)

This cocktail goes all in on orange! From the spicy and slightly bitter orange-tinged Curacao to the sweet Orangecello, this spiced rum-based cocktail showcases a variety of unique flavors that meld together seamlessly to create an utterly unique cocktail that will make your tastebuds sing for joy! Make sure to use the Lyon Rum/Windon Distilling Curacao – it’s what makes this drink as good as it is, and it’s available on-line direct from the distillery.

Ingredients

2 oz. good aged spiced rum (we like Captain Morgan Private Stock)

1.5 oz. Orangecello (we like Caravella)

1 oz. Lyon Rum/Windon Distilling Curacao (available on-line direct from the distillery)

1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

Orange wedge for garnish

Directions

Combine the ingredients into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass, garnish with orange wedge, and serve.