What We’re Making: Vitae Spirits Distillery’s Hot Buttered Rum

Vitae Spirits Hot Buttered Rum

There are few drinks more well-suited for winter than hot buttered rum. Wonderfully warming like the hot toddy and as ideal for sipping by the fireside as an Old Fashioned, this drink is both pleasing to the palate and fairly simple to concoct, and always a crowd-pleaser. Here, Charlottesville, Virginia-based craft distillery Vitae Spirits shares their recipe for the classic cold-weather cocktail featuring their own locally-distilled Golden Rum, which adds a welcome intensity to the drink. We recommend ordering a bottle of the deliciously rich liquor now for your winter bar—it’ll be an investment you’ll appreciate long after the frost disappears.

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients

For each cocktail:
1 ½ ounces
3 ounces (approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons) spiced butter
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
Hot water
Lemon twist or cinnamon stick (for garnish)

For the spiced butter:
¼ cup quality salted butter
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon high-grade molasses
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

To make the spiced butter, mix all ingredients together, softening butter in the microwave if necessary. For best results, let sit overnight so flavor from spices is drawn out (you can use it immediately, but the flavors will be less rounded out). Once the butter is ready, cut or scoop it into single serving sizes for future use.

To make the cocktail, add 2 to 3 tablespoons spiced butter, 1 ½ ounce Vitae Spirits Golden Rum, and ½ ounce lemon juice to each mug. Pour hot water (roughly ¾ cup) over each, and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist or cinnamon stick.

Vitae Spirits Hot Buttered Rum

Vitae Spirits Distillery is featured in The Scout Guide Charlottesville. Learn how to purchase their products here.