Drinks With Rum & Tequila

Separately, rum and tequila are staples in the realm of spirits, together they're a match made in heaven when it comes to cocktails. Tequila comes from the agave plant, which is similar to the yucca and amaryllis plants. Rum, on the other hand, is made from sugar cane products, specifically molasses. There are a number of alcoholic drinks or cocktails that are made by combining rum and tequila. Here are a few.

To mix a Teek Mai Tai, begin by combining in a cocktail shaker: 1 1/2 oz. reposado tequila, 1 oz. light rum, 1/2 oz. triple sec, 1 1/4 oz. pineapple juice, 1 1/4 oz. orange juice, juice from half of a lime and a splash of orgeat syrup. Put the lid on and shake. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a cooled or chilled martini glass. Pour or float (do not stir or mix in) 1/4 oz. of dark rum on the top of the mixture and add a maraschino cherry for flair.

The Tequila Moonrise cocktail is a spin on the traditional Tequila Sunrise cocktail but packs a different punch. To make a Tequila Moonrise, in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice mix: 3 oz. of tequila, 1 oz. each of light and dark rum, 1/2 oz. each of lemon and lime juice and 1 tsp. of sugar. Shake this mixture and strain it into a collins glass that is just about filled with ice cubes. On top of this mixture pour 2 oz. of ale and serve.

Long Island Iced Tea made its first appearance around the 1970's and was named after the largest island in the continental United States -- Long Island. Some people are surprised to discover that although the name of the cocktail includes the word tea, the drink itself does not. To mix a Long Island Iced Tea combine: 1/2 oz. vodka, 1/2 oz. light rum, 1/2 oz. gin, 1/2 oz. tequila and the juice from half a lemon. Pour these ingredients into a highball glass half-filled with ice cubes and add a splash of cola for color. The drink comes alive when a slice of lemon is placed on the rim of the glass.