The Dark and Stormy: A Drink for Summer's End

Looking through my cupboards a while back, I discovered I had a half-full bottle (or was it half empty) of Myer's Dark Rum. I'd forgotten it was there, so it was like a mini-Christmas surprise.

I wanted to make something other than the standard, boring Rum & Cola, even though those are delicious. I decided to try something new. Since I love a good ginger beer, I opted for a Dark & Stormy.


I headed across the street to my local Whole Foods and picked-up a Reed's Ginger Beer, one of the true princes among soft drinks. I got home, turned on some bossa nova (Myer's is a Jamaican rum, so reggae or ska would have arguably been more appropriate, but hey... blame it on the bossa nova!), and proceeded to make my concoction. I filled a highball glass with a bunch of ice, added a generous 2 oz. shot of rum, poured in the ginger beer, and topped with a big squeeze of lime.


The verdict? Delicious! The sweetness of the Myer's offered a great contrast to the bite of the Reed's. 

Eventually I worked my way through the Myer's. It was time to replenish my supply of dark rum. I did a bit of research, and discovered that Dark & Stormys are usually made with Gosling's Black Seal Rum. In fact, Gosling Brothers apparently holds the trademark on the Dark & Stormy, and a Dark & Stormy isn't really considered a Dark & Stormy unless Gosling's Black Seal Rum. (Sorry, Myer's!) So off to the liquor I went, and returned with a bottle of Gosling's.

While the faux Dark & Stormy made with Myer's was delicious, the real deal made with Gosling's was even better. The interplay between the flavors of the ginger beer and the rum just worked better.

While I still love a good Negroni, the Dark & Stormy will definitely be added to the roster of my drinks of summer, especially late summer, when the trade winds are blowing and the nights are just a tad bit cooler.