While grocery shopping the other day I realized two things: 1. I needed a drink. 2. I needed a vacation. Seeing as that a vacation requires a bit more planning and money, I opted for the drink instead. I was torn between making a mojito or a moscow mule, so I sort of combined the two!
I started by infusing the silver rum with a habanero for some heat and used a Habanero Mango Spice Rub from Salt Lake Spice Co. to line the rim which really brought out that pepper flavor. Muddled mint and fresh squeezed lemon juice added a refreshing and almost summery twist, and finally some bold spicy flavors from Sailor Jerry Rum and ginger beer brought it all together for this crisp mojito-mule fusion.
I received samples from Salt Lake Spice Co. that I used in this post. No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
Habanero Infused Rum:
1 habanero pepper, cut in half
1 cup silver rum (I used Artisan Grain Distillery’s that’s made in Iowa!)
Add one pepper half to a canning jar or other glass sealing container. Pour in the rum, seal, shake, and place in a cool dark place to infuse for 24-48 hours. You can definitely let it sit for a week for a stronger flavor, but I recommend sipping it every few days to check on the spiciness of it.
After your rum has infused enough to your liking, it’s time to put it to use!
(makes 1 cocktail)
Ingredients:
10-12 mint leaves + a few extra for garnish
Juice from 1 lemon
1 to 2 tsp sugar
1oz habanero infused silver rum
1oz Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
Lemon slices for garnish
Ice
Ginger beer (I recommend Regatta or Fever Tree)
For Rim:
Honey
Salt Lake Spice Co.’s Habanero Mango Spice Rub
Pour out about a half of a teaspoon of the Habanero Mango Spice Rub onto a small plate. Run a dab of honey around the rim of the glass and then press into spice rub to coat. A little bit goes a long way so no need to coat more than just the very top edge of the rim.
Add mint leaves, lemon juice, and sugar to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the mint with a muddler or back of a wooden spoon to release its flavor. Add both types of rum and shake for 20-30 seconds or until sugar dissolves. Pour into ice filled glasses (you can strain it into the glasses if you prefer not to have the mint leaves in your drink), top off with ginger beer, garnish, and serve.
Enjoy responsibly!
