As I established in last year’s Fall cocktail post, I will pass on pumpkin spice but love everything Apple. I grew up in Maine picking a variety of apples every fall. We would come home and turn them into pies, cobblers, and applesauce. I love an apple cider donut and don’t let a single autumn pass without buying a half gallon of local cider in Kansas City. I was recently experimenting with some new Apple Juice and rum cocktails that I think are perfect for Fall. They are balanced and include the flavors I think everyone wants as the leaves start to change color. We’ll use homemade and store-bought apple juice and different rums.

1. Autumn Old Fashioned

When I received some new bitters from El Guapo, the Chicory Pecan bitters struck me as perfect for Fall cocktails. I knew I wanted to make something flavorful but simple with apple juice and rum. This drink was delicious and is a great riff on an Old Fashioned. I used a smoked dried pear garnish. If you are looking to smoke your own pears, this post is helpful. For this cocktail, I used Plantation Dark Rum.

2. Granny Smith Daiquiri

Granny Smith apples are one of my favorite fruits. I love how tart and juicy they are. Given the natural sweetness of rum, I knew that some fresh apple juice would make for the perfect pairing. This drink did not disappoint. If you like your drinks more booze forward, just add a little more rum. I wanted the apple flavor to really shine so I left the peels on when I juiced the apples. Plus, the color is beautiful.

I love using this juicer that I got from my parents years ago. It produces great juice with almost dry pulp, which means it’s not wasting much of the fruit. I use it for a variety of syrups and juices and it’s easy to clean. I got nearly 3/4 of cup of fresh juice from one Granny Smith apple. For this cocktail I used Mount Gay Rum Eclipse from Barbados. It’s slightly funky thanks to the blend of rums distilled in copper pot and column stills. After distillation it is then matured for 2 years in American whiskey casks. Chef’s kiss!

3. Fall in the Islands

Last but not least is my take on a Fall tiki drink. I love tiki cocktails but it seems like they are all conjuring up Summer vibes. So, I figured adding some fun flavors to apple juice and rum would be a real treat. If you’re looking for inspiration on what flavors work well together, I love these books. The overall effect of this drink is still balanced and very sippable. I used Havana Club 3 year (which you need to buy outside of the United States) but Bacardí Superior White rum also works nicely. For the aged rum, I used Clement V.S.O.P. rum. If you are looking for an awesome pebble ice maker, check out this post.

And there you have three delicious apple juice and rum cocktails just in time for Fall. Although you can drink them any time of year. Cheers!

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