Intense, memorable and refreshing, the Dark and Stormy combines ginger beer with dark rum for a robust and thirst-quenching sipper.
“It was a dark and stormy night…”
Was there ever a phrase so iconic, so famous in the literary world than those words written above? Has a tale of such high adventure ever followed an enigmatic sentence such as that? Many will think I speak of Madeleine L’Engle’s classic science fiction novel A Wrinkle in Time, but this evening I speak of another giant of the written word, a different sorcerer of the sublime. I speak, of course, about Snoopy.
Sitting atop his familiar red doghouse, parked in front of his trusty typewriter, Snoopy clacked out page-turners galore. Mysteries, action stories, a romance or two, Charlie Brown’s polymath pup had a vivid imagination with experiences to spare. Why not write the great American novel, especially when you’re already the great American dog? After countless aerial battles against the infamous Red Baron, Snoopy probably had more than a few stories to share.
I confess, I still enjoy Peanuts comics and have my entire life. As I got older, those characters never left my side, feeling more like old friends than fictional cartoons. About twelve years ago in New York City, I was on a date one evening with a lovely red-haired woman and we ended up going back to her place. I felt not unlike Charlie Brown with his dream redhead, all butterflies and befuddlement. It had started raining outside and she suggested we have a Dark and Stormy or two. Being the nerd I am, I began to recite the opening lines from Snoopy’s opus: “It was a dark and stormy night…”
We sat on the floor, listening to records and the storm outside. This was my first time having one of these cocktails too, and I was quite taken with the flavor of the ginger beer coupled with the dark rum. The spice from both melded beautifully and the bite each sip had was perfect. Since that night, this has become one of my go-to cocktails and will always remain a favorite. Perfect on a hot and sunny day, especially with the tropical notes from the rum, but also great when there’s a chill in the air outside, and diamonds from the sky shower down.
Where was the Dark and Stormy Invented?
The original version of this cocktail, officially called the “Dark ‘n’ Stormy”, was crafted in Bermuda, the shipwreck capital of the world, after World War I by the Gosling Brothers, who produced Goslings Black Seal Rum. Since the 1990s, “Dark ‘n’ Stormy” has been a registered trademark of Gosling Brothers Ltd. and they are very protective of the legacy. When I make this drink at home, I whisper its name very quietly in case someone is listening.
What is the best Rum to use in a Dark and Stormy?
Goslings Black Seal Rum is the classic and official way to make this drink. In fact, over the years the company has litigated against anyone making and marketing this recipe without their product being used in it. If you like tearing the tags off of pillows and disobeying other such laws, however, a strong and dark rum such as Kraken is an amazing option. It’s a fantastic mixer and is also wonderful served neat. Plus, it won’t break the bank.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 3 ounces ginger beer
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Add the dark rum into the glass.
- Follow with the ginger beer.
- Add the lime juice into the glass and stir it all together. Garnish with a lime wedge if desired.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
As this is a highball cocktail, you’ll have the best drinking experience using a highball glass. Tall and slender, the shape of this glassware will keep your ice cubes from melting too fast and diluting your beverage. Pop a lime wheel on the rim for garnish.
Where does the phrase “It Was a dark and stormy night” come from?
English author Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton is credited with first using the now cliché line, opening his 1830 novel Paul Clifford with it.
Similar Cocktails to the Dark and Stormy
You love the spiky cold of a Dark and Stormy, and now you’re sitting back with one and your curiosity is beginning to bubble over… what other dark rum libations can you mix up that’ll favor this one, but still give you a different experience altogether? You can explore these notions on your own, or you can let Twist & Toast guide you on this quest. Try these recipes the next time you feel a little restless.
- Rum and Coke – The word “perfect” is sometimes thrown around too much, but not with this classic drink.
- Cuba Libre – You’d think this is just a Rum and Coke, but you’d be wrong. Try one today and see.
- Rum Runner – Dark rum is just one of the many delicious ingredients that make up this icy-cold potion.
- Rum Manhattan – Add some tropical notes to this noirish, big-city cocktail.
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