Rum cocktails

Rum comes from sugarcane and carries the Caribbean with it: sweetness, fruit and a warmth that forgives a beginner’s mistakes. It is probably the most forgiving spirit to start making cocktails at home.

A light white rum asks for citrus and mint — that is the Mojito and the Daiquiri. An aged one, with its years in the barrel, holds its own neat or anchors an after-dinner drink without breaking a sweat. Buying both costs little and multiplies what you can make.