The best winter rum cocktails in Houston

Banish any bad day with this aptly named drink from Julep. Featuring aged rum, hibiscus-infused charanda (a spirit derived from sugarcane), pineapple, ginger, and lemon, No Bad Days was created by bartender Adriana Ceniceros as an ode to women and her Latinx culture. (For example, the charanda comes from sugarcane made in the Mexican state of Michoacán.) What’s more, says Cinceros, “I came up with this cocktail during Women’s History Month—its vibrant pink color stands for breast cancer awareness, and I use a Charanda from a Latina-female-owned distillery.”

Angel Share in downtown Houston is unique in that it donates its proceeds to local nonprofit organizations. While any drink here is sure to impress, the Crisscross Applesauce is a highlight. The seasonal drink features a  combination of Bacardi Ocho (which, you guessed it, is aged for a minimum of eight years and has notes of spices and stone fruit), cognac, apple spice, lemon, charred pear, and ginger bitters. Think of the Crisscross Applesauce as a riff on the Philly Fish House with a festive, wintery twist thanks to the addition of apple spice. The charred pear also helps balance the strong apple and ginger flavors.

For a taste of the tropics in Texas, order up the Tiki #1 at  Diversión Cocktails in Houston’s Spring Branch East neighborhood. Described by the bar as refreshing and balanced “with a floral twist,” this innovative libation combines rum, gin, cognac, crème de lavender, Texas Meyer lemon vinegar, aromatic bitters, and, to top it off, a whole egg. The drink is then served in a tiki glass, which, given its name, is especially apropos. 

Bar No.3 at Houston’s swanky La Colombe d’Or hotel recently debuted its fall/winter menu, and among our favorite new additions is The Sleeper. The boozy beverage – inspired by French artist Jean-Auguste-Dominque Ingres, whose work is displayed at the property – features espresso, Mount Gay Black Rum, cognac, creme de banane, and benedictine, an herbal liqueur from France served over ice. The cold, caffeinated drink is best described as an espresso martini-meets-carajillo with a few flavorful twists: The creme de banane adds a tropical feel while the grated nutmeg garnish makes for the perfect warm, nutty, and aromatic addition.

Captain Foxheart's Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge is a speakeasy conveniently located on Main Street. Order up the Big Business, a potent potable that combines Plantation Rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, Rainwater Madeira (a semi-sweet wine), and fall spice syrup (made with lots of cinnamon and sugar plus a bit of allspice). When asked about the drink, creator and bartender Drew Jerdan exclaimed, “The thing I like about it is that it reads very much like a summertime tiki drink – rum, pineapple, and lime in the forefront – but the spices and the depth of the Madeira pull it firmly into the realm of sweater weather.”

Donn's Original Zombie at The Lei Low, a tiki bar in Houston Heights near downtown, utilizes a unique medley of Caribbean-inspired ingredients, including not one, not two, but three (!) different types of rum from Jamaica, Guyana, and Panama. The rums are mixed with falernum (a traditional Barbados liqueur infused with allspice, ginger, and lime zest), the bar’s signature Donn's Mix (cordial mixed with cinnamon syrup and grapefruit juice), and lime juice. The final concoction is poured over a tiki mug and garnished with a bushel of mint, a lime wheel, and a swizzle stick. The result? A sweet, spicy, and strong cocktail that’s perfectly balanced and fun to sip.

The Lounge at MARCH boasts an impressive selection of rotating drinks, each of which is currently named after famous beaches of the Mediterranean islands. The Konnos cocktail, named for the pristine stretch of sand in Cyprus, is bar manager Chad Matson’s play on a Jungle Bird. It features Dos Maderas 5+3 Rum (Spanish rum aged for five years in the Caribbean before being moved to sherry casks in Spain for another three years) and amaro (an Italian liqueur known for its bittersweet flavor), plus pineapple, fig, and lime. The amaro, along with the richness of the dark rum, balances out the sweet flavors of the fruits. Garnished with pineapple fronds, an edible orchid, mint, and half of a small fig, this drink is perfect for the 'gram, too.

The hero ingredient of the Strawberry Fields at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston? A rare varietal of Bacardi that’s been aged for 16 years, giving it a higher proof plus a sherry finish for added dimension. After the spirit is mixed with basil, strawberry, red wine, and aged balsamic vinegar, cabernet sauvignon is then floated over the top, adding notes of warm vanilla and heavy tannins. The cocktail comes complete with what the property calls a “savory nibble” of a biscuit with strawberry, balsamic vinegar, whipped goat cheese, and pink peppercorn.

The drinks at High & Dry Rum Bar are crafted to showcase all different types of rum. Wabbit Season, which is made with Agricole, a French style of rum (the specific one used, Trois Rivieres Cuvee De L'Ocean Rhum Blanc Agricole, comes from sugarcane harvested in Martinique), is no exception. The spirit is then combined with sweet carrot juice, turmeric, bitter quinquina, and a non-alcoholic, dry hopped seltzer water. Fun fact: Not only is the name “Wabbit Season” a play on the fresh carrot juice in the cocktail, but it’s also a reference to the feud between Daffey Duck and Elmer Fudd in the Looney Toons.