Gin and tonic is a classic (and one I personally LOVE). Vodka tonic is familiar. Rum and tonic is the combination most people have never tried intentionally, but really, you should.

The right rum and a quality tonic produce a drink with some unexpected depth. The sweetness and tropical notes of rum push back against the bitter quinine in tonic, creating a balance you don’t get when combining rum with a sweeter mixer like cola or juice.

It’s drier, with more complexity and is pretty darn good, especially on a hot summer day.

Which rum is the right rum

It’s important to know that not every rum works with tonic.

White rum is the safest, mostly because the lightness of a white rum like Bacardi Superior lets the tonic’s bitterness come through without getting overwhelmed by molasses or spice.

Dark rum works if you are very careful with which one you use. Gosling’s Black Seal has enough depth and bitterness on its own to play well against quinine. Just make sure to avoid very sweet dark rums, which clash with tonic rather than complement it.

Spiced rum is the most challenging to work with. Just avoid it, or if you must use a lighty spiced rum, try a Mediterranean or aromatic tonic with it instead of your standard tonic.

Which tonic is best?

Fever-Tree Indian Tonic is the cleanest pairing with white rum. Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic, with its herbal complexity, works well with a slightly aged rum. Q Tonic’s higher carbonation and lower sweetness are always a favorite in my house, too.

Ratio

2 oz rum to 4 oz tonic. Rum is sweeter than gin or vodka, so you may want to go slightly lighter on the tonic, especially if you’re using a standard sweetened brand. If you can find the less-sugar tonic or even zero-sugar, give it a try.

Garnish

An orange slice is the easiest garnish. The citrus sweetness complements rum and softens the tonic’s bitterness. A lime wedge works too and adds a sharper contrast.

Find more ideas in my cocktail garnishes guide.

3-Ingredient Upgrade: Citrus Lift

Add half an ounce of fresh lime juice before topping with your tonic. The citrus cuts the rum’s sweetness, creating a more balanced drink. An orange slice expressed over the glass and dropped in adds aroma that makes everything smell better before you even take a sip.

A citrus juicer makes the lime addition quick enough to do every time.

Mocktail Version

The mocktail is super easy. All you need is tonic water with a squeeze of lime and an orange slice.

A flavored tonic, particularly Fever-Tree Elderflower, will create a more interesting mocktail. Non-alcoholic rum with tropical notes subs in well because the sugarcane character is exactly what gives a rum tonic cocktail its balance.

Glassware

Use a highball glass with clear ice that melts more slowly and keeps the tonic carbonated longer. While it won’t make clear ice, Silicone ice cube trays are an easy, everyday option for ice (I also use it to make simple syrup ice cubes).

Other rum cocktails to try:

• Orange Blossom Mojito
• Pineapple Thyme Punch
• Plum Ginger Sour

More 2-Ingredient Rum Cocktails:

• Dark ’n Stormy
• Rum & Coke
• Rum & Soda
• Rum Guava
• Rum Iced Coffee
• Rum Lemonade
• Rum Mango
• Rum Pineapple
• Rum Sprite
• Rum Tonic
• Rum Watermelon

Rum and Tonic

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 oz white rum (or dark rum)
• 4 oz tonic water
• Orange slice or lime wedge, for garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add rum.
3. Pour tonic water slowly down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation.
4. Stir gently and garnish with an orange slice or lime wedge.

Citrus Lift (3-Ingredient Version)

Ingredients

• 2 oz white or dark rum
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• 4 oz tonic water
• Orange slice, for garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add rum and lime juice.
3. Pour tonic slowly down the side of the glass and stir gently.
4. Garnish with an orange slice.