These Perfect Night-Out Cocktails Boast Over 100 Years Of Practice

Imagine your perfect night out. The pregame is over. A short walk later, and you’re here. You’ve passed the bouncer and slip in among the growing crowd. The vibe is high, lights are low. You make a bee line for the bar and space magically clears for you and your friends to sit.

After a chaotic work week, dozens of video calls, emails, and meeting after meeting have put you through the wringer, who doesn’t love a bit of balance in the form of a good cocktail? And while it’s temping to backslide into the usual vodka soda with lime that you’ve sipped so often in the past, there are so many innovative night-out cocktails that will turn up the dial on your average night on the town.

No matter where you’re ordering or who is mixing, the Manhattan, Negroni, and Old Fashioned are perfect orders every time, but it’s the twist of making them with Brugal 1888 rum that pushes them into signature drink territory. When it comes to the world of craft cocktails, Brugal 1888 has over 100 years of experience serving as the star of some of your favorite spirit-forward recipes, and these riffs on cocktail classics will have you wondering why you’ve only just discovered your new favorite: rum.

Rum Manhattan

With the right ingredients on hand, you don’t even have to be in New York City to enjoy a good Manhattan. Served in the ever-chic coupette glass, this reimagined version of an over 200-year-old classic adds a Dominican twist by combining two of the DR’s biggest exports: the banana and Brugal 1888. Replacing the more traditionally used bourbon or rye with rum adds a spicy woodiness and sophisticated sweetness that will have you mentally booking your next vacation to Miami... or at least thinking about it while you fish your ID out of your purse.

Ingredients:

• 50ml Brugal 1888
• 10ml Briotette Creme de Banane
• 10ml Dry Vermouth
• Glass: Small coupette
• Ice: Include ice in mixing jug
• Garnish: Banana chips on the side

Directions:

• Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, stir and strain into a pre-chilled coupette, and serve with banana chips on the side to snack on.

Rum Negroni

This tropical jungle twist on the Negroni says “thank you, next” to gin in favor of a more round and lush vibe with its sippable sister, rum. There’s a lot of punch packed into this cocktail — from the brightness of the pineapple, to the bittersweet Campari, to the hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and cloves that you’ll pick up from the rum. Each sip will unlock something new to the palate. This drink will give you V.I.P. rooftop lounge vibes before you’ve even made it there.

Ingredients:

• 35ml Brugal 1888
• 10ml Campari
• 10ml pineapple syrup
• Glass: Rocks
• Ice: Block
• Garnish: Pineapple leaf

Directions:

• Add all ingredients and simply stir over ice. Add a pineapple leaf garnish and serve.

Rum Old Fashioned

Whether your eyelash glue is clocking out for the night or your feet won’t endure one more second of dancing, every night has a signal that it must come to an end. But nothing soothes the soul after hours of club hopping like a last drink in the privacy of your own home and when it comes to nightcaps, the Old Fashioned is really the “it” choice. This classic cocktail has been around for as long as the brand of rum it features, over 100 years. Starting with a foundation of double-aged rum instead of whiskey and bolstered by a bit of sherry and chocolate bitters, you’re left with something soft and smooth to sip as the evening winds down to a close.

Ingredients:

• 50ml Brugal 1888
• 10ml PX sherry
• 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
• Glass: Rocks
• Ice: Block ice (optional)

Directions:

• Add all ingredients, simply stir over ice and serve.