Crafthouse Moonlighter

Crafthouse Moonlighter is a rum, and the details on file don't give a style, age, origin or proof. So the tasting and serving guidance below describes what rums in this category usually do, not a measured profile of this bottle. Check the label for the style (white, gold, dark or spiced) and the ABV, and adjust the suggestions to match. Most rums, whatever their color, share a base of cane sweetness: expect vanilla, caramelized sugar and some tropical fruit, with oak and baking-spice notes becoming more pronounced as the color deepens. If the bottle leans light, it will suit shaken, citrus-driven drinks. A Daiquiri (2 oz rum, 3/4 oz fresh lime juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, shaken hard and served up in a chilled coupe) shows a rum's character more clearly than almost any other recipe. A Mojito, built in a highball over mint, lime and sugar and topped with soda, works with the same bottle and needs plenty of crushed ice. If the rum turns out to be amber or dark, the better uses are stirred and long drinks. A Rum Old Fashioned (2 oz rum, a bar spoon of demerara syrup, two dashes of aromatic bitters, stirred over one large cube in a rocks glass with an orange peel) lets the barrel and sugar notes carry the drink. A Dark 'n' Stormy (rum floated over ginger beer and lime in a highball) rewards a fuller-bodied pour. A Piña Colada, blended with pineapple juice and cream of coconut and served in a hurricane or tall glass, is forgiving of nearly any style. To judge it neat before mixing, pour about an ounce into a tulip-shaped glass or a small snifter at cool room temperature, without ice. Add a few drops of water if the nose is tight. A single large cube is the mildest way to chill it if you prefer it cold. As a simple rule, keep fresh citrus and ginger for the lighter bottles and use sugar and bitters to complement the darker ones.