3 ways to drink our new Lake House Spiced Rum

Our newest spirit is a celebration of all things landlocked — namely lakes and the people who frequent them.

Introducing: Lake House Spiced Rum.

Lake House Spiced Rum debuts this weekend at the distillery with bottle sales beginning at noon Friday, plus special rum cocktails and even free distillery tours on Saturday, as long as you RSVP.

Lake House Spiced Rum is made in small batches from natural, whole botanical ingredients like orange peel, vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper and cardamom — no flavoring extracts, no coloring.

It hits the spot when you're grilling out. It's part of the perfect boat cocktail for a Saturday on the lake. It's what you bring to your neighbor's pool party. It's your reward after cutting the grass. It's meant for nights spent around a campfire.

Here's how we'd drink it if we were you:

1. RUM AND COKE. 

Lake House Spiced Rum will make you fall in love with rum and Cokes all over again. Whether it's your go-to drink, or it's one you haven't had since college, our rum has a way of making this simple mixed drink something to savor. 

"The cardamom we use in our spiced rum really comes through," says our distiller Justin Hughey. "Some rums don't push through Coke. But ours does."

Hey, we are the first to admit that we love fancy cocktails with six ingredients that are made from scratch and fresh squeezed and what not ... but we cannot deny the bliss of a straightforward, no-recipe mixed drink like a rum and Coke. 

2. SERIOUS COCKTAILS.

Remember two seconds ago when we said we love fancy cocktails? It's a good thing we did not throw fancy cocktails under the bus just to make a point about rum and Cokes, because Lake House Spiced Rum is right at home in serious cocktails, too.

At the distillery this weekend, we'll be mixing two special rum cocktails. One will have our spiced rum, our Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur, honey syrup and lemon. And the other will have our spiced rum with ginger syrup, lime and bitters. Don't choose. Try both. And then ask our bartender for the recipes so you can recreate them at home.

(Also, try Lake House Spiced Rum in an Old Fashioned. You're welcome.)

3. TIKI DRINKS.

Lake House Spiced Rum likes a trip to the tropics just like any other booze. Try it in classic tiki cocktails like Pieces of Eight or a Daiquiri. You bet we'll be using it on Tiki Tuesdays around the distillery.

FIRE AT THE PAGEANT COCKTAIL RECIPE

Jalapeños give a welcome kick to this gorgeous vodka cocktail with hibiscus and citrus.

FIRE AT THE PAGEANT

By Stella Snyder of Cardinal Spirits

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Vodka infused with hibiscus tea, recipe follows
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce blood orange juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
3 jalapeño slices
Blood orange slice for garnish

Prepare the hibiscus-infused vodka ahead of time: steep 1 bag of hibiscus tea in 1.5 cups Cardinal Spirits Vodka for a day.  This makes about 12 ounces of infused vodka, or enough for 6 cocktails.

For the cocktail: Add all ingredients except for garnish to a shaker, then add ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a slice of blood orange.

CLOUD 9 COCKTAIL RECIPE

Our Standard Dry Gin and our Songbird Flora Liqueur make the perfect pair, and here they're shaken together into a lush cocktail with a light and lofty cap. This heavenly drink is aptly named Cloud 9, created by Cardinal Spirits bartender Stella Snyde.

CLOUD 9

By Stella Snyder of Cardinal Spirits

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
1/2 ounce Cardinal Spirits Flora Liqueur
1/2 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 egg white
3-4 dashes lavender bitters

Add all ingredients to a shaker without ice and shake vigorously, to emulsify the egg white. Then, add ice to the shaker and shake again, this time to chill and dilute the cocktail. Strain into a coupe glass. 

BACKSEAT FREESTYLE COCKTAIL RECIPE

Our Tiki Rum isn't just for tropical cocktails. Here, it hobnobs with blackberries, lime and a splash of licorice root tea, which gives the whole thing a little earthiness.

BACKSEAT FREESTYLE

By Stella Snyder of Cardinal Spirits

3 blackberries
3/4 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce licorice root tea (prepare a cup of tea ahead)
1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

Add blackberries and simple syrup to a shaker and muddle to release juice from the berries. Add remaining ingredients to the shaker, then add ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with blackberries.

SHIPWRECK COCKTAIL RECIPE

At the heart of this cocktail is our Vodka and our Songbird Flora, a nectar-like liqueur that we make with elderflower, hibiscus, jasmine and raspberries. You need Flora. You want Flora. You can't make this drink without Flora. Add a little lime and club soda to keep this drink bright and bubbly. 

SHIPWRECK

Makes 1 cocktail

By Jake Cifuentes of Cardinal Spirits

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Vodka
1 ounce Cardinal Spirits Flora
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
Club soda

Add all ingredients except club soda to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass with ice, then top with club soda and garnish with a lime wedge.

WET BANDITS COCKTAIL RECIPE

This cocktail made with our Standard Dry Gin blends fresh ingredients — blackberry and sage — with comforting winter flavors — honey and cinnamon. And the color couldn't be prettier.

WET BANDITS

By Baylee Pruitt of Cardinal Spirits

2 blackberries
Sage leaf
1/2 oz. honey syrup (recipe below)
2 oz. Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
3/4 oz. lemon juice
2 dashes cinnamon bitters

Add blackberries, sage leaf and honey syrup to a shaker. Muddle to release juices from berries. Add ice to the shaker, then add gin, lemon juice and bitters. Shake vigorously, then double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a sage leaf. 

To make honey syrup: Add 1 cup water and 1 cup honey to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve. Heat for 5 minutes. Cool completely before using. 

HONEY BUZZ RECIPE

Honey, vanilla, coffee, cinnamon ... hello, holidays! This festive cocktail makes winter nights merrier — sip it while you're waiting for the cookie dough to chill, online shopping or addressing Christmas cards.

HONEY BUZZ

By Jake Cifuentes

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Honey Vanilla Vodka
1/2 ounce Cardinal Spirits Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes cinnamon bitters
Lemon wheel and cloves, for garnish

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a clove-studded lemon wheel.

AUTUMN SMOKE COCKTAIL RECIPE

Lapsang souchong, a smoky black tea, combined with pear juice, cinnamon and our Tiki Rum gives this cocktail its amazing fireside flavor. Cardinal bartender Stella Snyder shows us how to shake it up.

AUTUMN SMOKE

By Stella Snyder

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
1.5 ounces pear juice
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce lapsang souchong simple syrup* 
dash cinnamon bitters

Shake with ice; pour the liquid and ice into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

*To make lapsang souchong simple syrup: combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 2 bags of lapsang souchong tea in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool, then remove tea bags. 

SLOW HAND COCKTAIL RECIPE

This Slow Hand cocktail by Cardinal bartender Jake Cifuentes is like a liquid version of Mexican chocolate — rich, smooth, spicy. Even though it's served over ice, it's naturally warming thanks to a kick from the cocoa-cayenne syrup. So good for fall.

SLOW HAND

By Jake Cifuentes

1 ounce cocoa-cayenne simple syrup*
2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur
2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Whole coffee beans for garnish

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice; shake and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with a few coffee beans.

*To make a the cocoa-cayenne simple syrup: Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve ingredients. Remove from heat and let cool before using. Add more cayenne to taste if you like more heat!

Want more Cardinal cocktail recipes? Find them all right here.