Easy Tropical Rum Runner Cocktail – Caribbean Punch

This tropical rum runner cocktail is such a treat! It’s one of the best tropical drinks and always transports me mentally to a beautiful beach with white sands and turquoise waters. I love this easy rum runner recipe. The ingredients are easy to find and all you have to do is stir them all together. It is a tasty Caribbean punch cocktail recipe that is a favourite summer and vacation drink. All the steps show you how to make a rum runner…and you will see it is so EASY! If you are looking for a pineapple rum drink recipe, this one is for you.

Tropical Rum Runner Cocktail History

This Caribbean punch cocktail recipe has an interesting history. According to legend, this pineapple rum drink recipe was first invented by John Ebert. Also known as Tiki John, at Islamorada’s Holiday Tiki Bar, he was challenged to invent a new drink.

The bar had a lot of rum and other drinks that needed to be used up before new inventory arrived. He combined rum with brandy, grenadine and banana liqueur. And the first tropical rum runner cocktail was born!

This pineapple rum drink recipe was named after actual ‘rum runners’. These were smugglers, similar to bootleggers during the prohibition, but they operated out of the Florida Keys in the early 1900s. They traveled by water rather than by land.

Captain Bill McCoy was one of the best-known rum runners of the time. That’s where the phrase ‘the Real McCoy’ comes from. He used to smuggle rum into South Florida from the Bahamas. The Coast Guard soon figured out what was going on, so McCoy would meet smaller boats a few miles offshore, to transfer the rum. This 3-mile limit became known as the ‘rum line’. The ships who came to take McCoy’s product were called ‘rum row’.

Ingredients for an Easy Rum Runner Recipe

This fruity, fresh, Caribbean punch cocktail recipe goes down so well. It’s cool and refreshing, and completely delicious. You will need light rum and pineapple rum, along with orange juice, banana liqueur and grenadine. This cocktail is best served over crushed ice, and I like to garnish it with an orange slice and a couple of maraschino cherries.

You can alter the ingredients if you like. If you don’t have pineapple rum you can just use more light rum or else add a splash of dark rum. The orange juice can be swapped for pineapple juice or even combine the two. Switch the crushed ice for ice cubes if you like. You can also use a different garnish depending what you have to hand.

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This Caribbean punch cocktail recipe is wonderful at any time. I love it during the hot summer months though, over plenty of crushed ice. It’s just so refreshing! Of course the best way to enjoy this pineapple rum drink recipe would be on a Caribbean beach with your toes in the sand. But if a tropical vacation isn’t coming up in your immediate future, you can still make an easy rum runner recipe. And then pretend you’re somewhere warm and sunny!

Other Rum Based Cocktails

There are plenty of ways to enjoy rum so if you buy a bottle you can make this tropical rum runner cocktail plus more besides. Rum can be mixed with cola or Sprite to make a long drink. You can use it in mojito and daiquiri recipes.

A hurricane is also a tasty drink, and not too dissimilar to this Caribbean punch cocktail recipe. In fact, I like to serve this rum runner in a hurricane glass. Hot buttered rum is a great drink if the weather is chilly and you want something warm. This is made with rum, butter, sugar, spices and vanilla. Planter’s punch and dark and stormy are other rum-based cocktails.

I am a big fan of tropical flavour food and drinks, like these tasty Tropical Pineapple Scones or this Tropical Pineapple Mango Smoothie.

Rum also features in non-cocktail recipes. A splash of dark rum can complement a beef or pork stew. Light rum adds flavour to poultry, fish or seafood. Both kinds can be used to make indulgent dessert recipes which call for a dash of rum. You can also add it to a flambéed dish (one you set fire to!) Yep, rum can be fun!

What to Serve with this Rum Runner Cocktail

You can serve this tropical rum runner cocktail with some savoury snacks, to contrast with its sweet taste. If you’re hanging out with some friends and enjoying this easy rum runner recipe, some basic snacks like salted popcorn and nuts would be good. You can also get more fancy and make other kinds of appetizers.

If you like this Caribbean punch cocktail recipe, you might also like this Strawberry Paloma Tequila Cocktail with Fresh Grapefruit Juice, Flavourful Prosecco Frozen Peach Bellini Cocktail, or How to Make the Best Negroni.

How to Make a Rum Runner

The following pineapple rum drink recipe only makes one, so if you prefer a pitcher, just double or triple the ingredients so you can whip up a batch. You can also adjust the amounts of ingredients.

Use less or more rum depending on how you like it, or adjust the amount of banana liqueur (non-banana fans can omit this too). Some people prefer extra orange juice to dilute the other flavours. Have fun experimenting with this tropical rum runner cocktail to find your perfect blend.

Tropical Rum Runner Cocktail Recipe

Let me know if you try to make this tropical rum runner cocktail. It is a tasty Caribbean punch cocktail recipe that is a favourite summer and vacation drink. All the steps show you how to make a rum runner…and you will see it is so EASY! If you are looking for a pineapple rum drink recipe or an easy rum runner recipe, this one is for you.

If you are a fan of fruity tropical drinks, you should probably try this Tropical Hawaiian Fruity Lava Flow Cocktail, too.

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