As I’ve said before, I’m generally a whiskey man. My two favorites are Kentucky Bourbon, and Irish. I adore them……but not mixed. There are few whiskey cocktails that I truly enjoy, besides the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan, or whiskey ginger. I just prefer them straight. When it comes to cocktails my friends, one of my favorite spirits to mix is spiced rum. So, with no further ado, my FAVORITE rum cocktail, the Anejo Highball, or Rum Highball.
This drink was created around 2000 by renowned mixologist Dale DeGroff as a tribute to Cuban barkeeps of the early 1900’s, and was bestowed unto me via my friends John and Lauren, who discovered the drink from Lauren’s employer, the Richwood Grill (if I remember correctly this drink goes by the ‘Pyrat Highball’ on their menu bc they use Pyrat brand rum). The ‘Anejo’ refers to old rum, but depending on what you can afford, or what is available at your local watering hole, a decent or mid range spiced rum will suit this cocktail perfectly. If you’re feeling fancy, I recommend Pyrat or Pussers brand rum, but for the connoisseur on a budget, the Captain will suit your needs.

To get started, you’ll need the following:
- your favorite spiced rum
- orange curacao, Cointreau, or Triple Sec
- Angostura Bitters
- ginger beer or ginger ale
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 highball glass
- ice
Once you have all the necessary ingredients…..
-Fill a highball glass with ice
-add 2oz spiced rum
-add 1oz orange curacao, Cointreau, or Triple Sec
-add 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
-fill with ginger beer or ginger ale
-gently stir
-garnish with lime wedge
-ENJOY!
This is a super simple cocktail that is easy to make, fits any occasion, and lets you get in touch with your inner pirate. Visit the Richwood Grill for their stellar version of this cocktail, and some amazing food to boot. Cheers!