How to Make Spiced Rum From Scratch

Simply take your desired mix of spices and other ingredients, pop them in a bottle of rum for, oh, two days, then taste. Need the spice mix a bit stronger? Let it sit a day or two more, or, edit the taste profile as you go, adding more of an ingredient if you wish to push it forward.

DIY Allspice Dram

Allspice dram is a simple liqueur flavored with allspice berries that adds a dark, strong, and spicy counterpoint to rum and cocktails. Even though you can find it on store shelves now, it's much more fun to make it at home.

DIY Coconut Rum

Since this recipe doesn't have any sugar, it's a nice way to put a little coconut in your drink without adding sweetness. For more flavor, you could adding vanilla, peppercorns, grains of paradise, cardamom, ginger, basil, lemongrass, or chiles.

DIY Ginger Liqueur

This homemade ginger liqueur tastes so elegant that people will not believe you made it yourself. It can compete with Domaine de Canton on flavor—for less than half the cost and only 30 minutes of work.

DIY Falernum

Falernum can be tricky to find commercially, but it's easy to make at home so that you can be ready to mix up lots of classic Tiki cocktails.

DIY Orange Liqueur

Top-shelf orange liqueurs are pricey, while bottom-shelf options can drag a good drink into the gutter fast. But homemade orange liqueur is just right...and it's a blast to make.

DIY Orange Bitters

Just a drop or two of orange bitters can add the right depth to your cocktail or bridge together ingredients that aren't quite living up to their mixological potential. Deep, citrusy, spicy, complex orange bitters are an essential part of so many balanced cocktails.

DIY Coffee Liqueur

DIY coffee liqueur tastes like like a fresh cup of coffee with added depth from rum and just enough sugar to make it great for sipping or mixing—or baking and dessert garnishing.

DIY Banana Liqueur

Homemade banana liqueur will show you that, when it comes to tropical drinks, the simple banana can taste just as special as coconut or pineapple.

Spiced Cranberry Rum Fizz

Incorporating the classic flavors of cranberry sauce--tart cranberries, the warm spice of orange zest, and a kick of ginger--this drink re-imagines the timeless flavors of the season.