Navy Grog, SC

A rum aged in charred oak barrels that lend their color to the rum. If a recipe calls for this rum it is likely refuring to a darker colored rum with a rich and strong yet smooth flavor. Common varieties come from Jamaica and Haiti.

Also referred to as silver or white, light rums are unaged, aged in steel, or aged in oak and have had their color filtered out, and usually have a sweeter and lighter taste than darker rum varieties. The name refers to these rums lighter or clear color.

A subset of aged (dark) rums that specifically come from Jamaica. These rums are highly regarded for their unusual pot-still funk, necessary for certain classic cocktails.

This syrup swaps in golden-hued demerara or turbinado sugar as opposed to processed/bleached white sugar. This gives a deeper, almost caramel-like flavor with a funky molasses nose popular in tropical drinks. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.

The second most common juice used in cocktails. This citrus juice is about 6% acid; 4% from citric and 2% from malic, with small amounts of succinic acid (this is what gives it a little bloody taste). Lime juice should be used the day it is squeezed, some like it freshly squeezed and others like it a few hours old.

A juice used in some cocktails for its tart and acidic properties. Grapefruit juice can be pre-squeezed and kept fresh for many days like orange juice, unlike lemon and lime juice.

Also known as pimento dram, this is an allspice berry flavored liqueur; from the pimento tree. You can make your own! Here is a recipe from Serious Eats: Measure out 1/2 cup whole allspice berries, then crush them in a mortar and pestle or grinder. Place the crushed allspice in a sealable glass jar with 1 cup rum, steep for 4 days, shaking daily. On day 5, add 1 broken cinnamon stick. Let steep for 7 more days, after 12 total days of steeping, strain out the solids through a cheesecloth. Make a syrup by combining 1 1/2 cup water and 2/3 cup brown sugar, heat until it dissolves then add it to the alcholoic mix. Let rest for an additional day, and enjoy!

Aromatic plants used in cocktails as a garnish or muddled into the liquor to add a light fresh taste. Common in the Mint Julep.