How to Infuse Your Own Spiced Rum to Get a Taste of Autumn

(Photo: Valeria Boltneva/Pexels)

The weather is starting to change and during the Fall and winter months, there is nothing better than a nice warm spiced rum cocktail. Spiced rum is the perfect treat for the cold windy days of Autumn, but sometimes it is hard to find a spiced rum that is perfect for you. Well, don’t worry because it is incredibly easy to make your own spiced rum with just a little DIY attitude.  

The first thing you need to make your own spiced rum is a good base rum. The choice is yours on what style of rum you would like to add spices and flavor to, but a good place to start is a basic aged rum. Some good options for a base rum for infusing include Angostura 7 year, Smith and Cross if you prefer a slight funk and the Appleton Estate Signature Blend.

Second, the options for infusions are endless so think about what spices and flavors you would want to highlight in your version of a spiced rum. Vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and orange are typical flavors found in many spiced rums on the market, but there is no limit to the possibilities once you start infusing your own flavored rums. 

Recipe

This is a basic spiced rum recipe but it can be altered to fit personal tastes. Go wild and experiment with whatever spices you have on hand or even add other botanicals such as dried hibiscus or lavender. 

Ingredients

• 1 large airtight container
• 1 – 750ml bottle of rum
• 1 vanilla bean cut lengthwise down the middle
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 strips of orange peel with pith removed (about 3 inches long)
• 1 ceylon cinnamon stick- Broken into small pieces
• 1 cardamom pod
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 whole allspice berries
• 4 whole black peppercorns
• ½ of a star anise pod
• 4 slices of ginger cut into the size of a quarter
• Additionally, sweeten with sugar syrup or honey syrup to your liking  

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients into a large jar and keep sealed. Store in a cool, dark place for a couple of days. Shake the jar once a day to distribute the ingredients. You can start tasting it after 48 hours to test if it is infused enough (usually no longer than 3 to 4 days). Once the rum is infused to your liking, strain it through a fine mesh sieve and store it in a bottle or airtight jar. Enjoy!

If making your own spiced rum isn’t something you would be into then check out our list of the best spiced rums for this fall here.

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