The rum runner recipe
for your table
Fill a shaker with ice cubes and add the white rum, dark rum, banana liqueur, and blackberry liqueur.
Add the pineapple juice and freshly squeezed lime juice, plus half a bar spoon of grenadine. The grenadine is mainly for color, so really keep it to that half spoon.
Shake firmly for ten to fifteen seconds, until the outside of the shaker is frosted. Shaking longer will not chill it further, but will only dilute it.
Strain the cocktail into a hurricane glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with an orange slice and a cherry on the rim.
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The story
A rum runner comes from the Florida Keys. The usual story is that it was invented in a bar in Islamorada to use up a stock of liqueurs that otherwise sat untouched, which immediately explains the unusual combination of banana and blackberry liqueur. That story is no more than a usual account. What you can taste for yourself is the result: the banana gives a rich, almost creamy note, the blackberry brings dark fruit and acidity, and the two types of rum keep the drink from becoming merely sweet. The grenadine is mainly there for color, so keep it to half a bar spoon.
The right glass
A rum runner belongs in a hurricane glass: the tall, curved bowl on a stem has room for ice, a straw and a generous garnish, without needing a top-up. Expect roughly forty-four centilitres, because with more than fourteen centilitres of drink plus ice, a smaller glass quickly fills up. The stem keeps everything stable and keeps your hand away from the bowl, so the drink stays cold longer. If you often serve tiki-style drinks, also take a look at our tiki glasses.
Royal Leerdam Cocktail Hurricane Cocktail Glass 44 cl (4 pieces)
Arcoroc Hurricane Cocktail Glass 44 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 70,90.
The right tools
For a rum runner, besides the glass, you use a jigger to measure the small amounts, a cocktail shaker to shake it cold and a cocktail strainer to pour it out cleanly. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 63,80.
What do you use to make a rum runner?
For a rum runner, you need two types of rum. Well-known bottles include Havana Club and Captain Morgan. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Blended instead of shaken, a rum runner becomes thicker and colder, almost like a frozen cocktail; shaken, it remains clearer and is easier to drink. Some bars add a float of overproof rum on top, a thin layer of strong rum that stays floating on the drink; this is an established practice, but the drink does not need it. If you don’t have blackberry liqueur at home, crème de mûre or blackcurrant liqueur is the closest substitute, although it will make the color darker. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Squeeze the lime juice just before shaking, as bottled juice lacks the acidity and aroma that keep this cocktail balanced. Fill the glass with fresh ice rather than the ice from the shaker, which has already partly melted. Place the orange slice and cherry on the rim instead of in the drink, so the top remains visible.
Good to know
Banana and blackberry liqueur together
This is the combination that identifies a rum runner. Banana liqueur brings a full, soft and almost creamy note that gives the drink body; blackberry liqueur counters it with dark fruit and a sharp edge. On their own, both are difficult bottles that can quickly turn out too sweet, but together they partly balance each other’s sweetness. Leave one out and you’re left with an ordinary rum punch. Keep the quantities small, as 1.5 centiliters of each liqueur is enough to set the tone without making the rum disappear.
Two types of rum, two roles
The white rum is light and dry and keeps the drink fresh, while the brown rum brings barrel depth: caramel, a touch of wood and a heavier finish. Together, they cover both sides. If you use only white rum, the drink becomes thin and relies entirely on the liqueurs. Brown rum alone makes it heavy and syrupy. A standard white rum and a simple brown or spiced rum are both sufficient; the liqueurs and juices are more prominent here than the rum itself.
Shaken versus blended
Shaken produces a clear drink with a light foam cap that you pour over fresh ice; the cocktail remains easy to drink and you can taste the individual components better. Blending with crushed ice creates a thick, semi-frozen version in which everything melds together and the sweetness comes forward because cold dulls flavor. You’ll find both methods. If you blend it, use a generous scoop of ice and blend briefly, as blending for too long produces a watery mixture that already starts to separate in the glass.
The overproof rum float
In some bars, a thin layer of overproof rum is floated on top after pouring - rum that is considerably stronger than the usual 37.5 to 40 percent. The layer stays afloat because it is lighter and gives a strong rum aroma with the first sip. It is not part of the basic recipe, and the proportions on this page assume you leave it out. If you do add it, bear in mind that it makes the drink distinctly stronger than it looks.
Fresh lime juice, no bottled juice
Lime juice from a bottle is pasteurized and lacks the volatile oil from the peel; what remains is a flat acidity with a slightly bitter aftertaste. In a cocktail with two liqueurs and pineapple juice, this is immediately noticeable, because the fresh acidity is what keeps all that sweetness in check. One lime yields roughly two to three centiliters of juice, so for this recipe you need less than one per glass. Juice it shortly before shaking, because fresh juice noticeably loses its freshness within an hour.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a rum runner?
White rum, dark rum, banana liqueur, blackberry liqueur, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, and half a bar spoon of grenadine. Shake everything with ice and strain it into a hurricane glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Can you blend a rum runner?
Yes, that is a common method. With crushed ice in the blender, it becomes thick and semi-frozen, with the components blending together more and the sweetness coming forward. Shaken, it remains clearer, and you can taste the rum and liqueurs separately more distinctly. Blend briefly, otherwise it will become watery.
Can I use bottled juice instead of fresh lime?
Preferably not. The fresh acidity is what balances the two liqueurs and the pineapple juice, while juice from a bottle lacks precisely that freshness. Juice the lime just before shaking; you need less than one per glass.
Which glass do you serve a rum runner in?
In a hurricane glass holding roughly forty-four centiliters, with fresh ice. The tall footed bowl has room for the drink, ice, and garnish. For suitable models, see our hurricane glasses.
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