Derek Ramsay Mixes Tanduay’s Halloween Cocktails

Tanduay Spooky Cocktail by Derek Ramsay

“We’ve been through a tough year, and we are still doing our best to cope with the current situation. This is why it’s important to celebrate once in a while, to remind ourselves of the good things that we have in our life like our loved ones.” ~Derek Ramsay

If you are looking for creative Halloween drinks and cocktails to serve for your Halloween party,  Derek Ramsay shares some of his favorite Tanduay rhum concoctions to liven up your virtual get-together with your family and friends.

The cocktails are easy to do, Derek assured, and can be made using ingredients that are available in stores.

Tanduay Spooky Cocktail 🍹

Tanduay Spooky Cocktail by Derek Ramsay

Ingredients

• Lychee
• Grapes
• 30 mL Tanduay Rhum 5 Years 
• Ginger Ale
• 10 mL Simple Syrup
• Grenadine Syrup 

Procedure:

1. Create frozen (fake) eyeballs by putting a piece of grape inside a lychee. Create as many as you want. Set aside and put inside the freezer.
2. Now start creating your cocktail mix by pouring 30 mL Tanduay Rhum 5 Years in a glass.
3. Top with ginger ale and drop your frozen eyeballs.
4. Add the simple syrup next.
5. Pour the grenadine syrup to create a blood effect.

Hocus Pocus Cocktail

Ingredients

• Orange zest
• 15 mL Simple Syrup
• 45 mL Cranberry Juice
• 15 mL Orange Juice, Freshly Squeezed
• 1 Prosecco or sparkling wine
• 45 mL Tanduay Rhum 5 Years 

Procedure

1. Start off by dipping the rim of your coupe or martini glass in the chilled simple syrup. Dip it very lightly. Now dip the rim of the same glass into some orange-colored sugar. Set this aside on the counter or in the freezer to set. 

To create your own colored sugar:  

Place sugar in a resealable plastic bag. 

Add a few drops of food coloring. 

Seal the bag and shake until the color has spread evenly. 

Allow sugar to dry in a flat surface for 15 to 20 minutes before using.

2. In a shaker or mixing glass, add ice and combine cranberry juice, orange juice, simple syrup, orange zest, and Tanduay Rhum 5 Years in a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake until thoroughly chilled.

3. Strain the mixture into your sugar rimmed cocktail glass. 

4. Top off with chilled Prosecco or sparkling wine and garnish with an orange twist.

Hocus Pocus Cocktail

Ingredients

• Orange zest
• 15 mL Simple Syrup
• 45 mL Cranberry Juice
• 15 mL Orange Juice, Freshly Squeezed
• 1 Prosecco or sparkling wine
• 45 mL Tanduay Rhum 5 Years 

Procedure

1. Start off by dipping the rim of your coupe or martini glass in the chilled simple syrup. Dip it very lightly. Now dip the rim of the same glass into some orange-colored sugar. Set this aside on the counter or in the freezer to set. 

To create your own colored sugar:  

• Place sugar in a resealable plastic bag. 
• Add a few drops of food coloring. 
• Seal the bag and shake until the color has spread evenly. 
• Allow sugar to dry in a flat surface for 15 to 20 minutes before using.

2. In a shaker or mixing glass, add ice and combine cranberry juice, orange juice, simple syrup, orange zest, and Tanduay Rhum 5 Years in a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake until thoroughly chilled.

3. Strain the mixture into your sugar rimmed cocktail glass. 

4. Top off with chilled Prosecco or sparkling wine and garnish with an orange twist.

Devil’s Brew (Good for 2)

Tanduay’s Halloween Cocktails Mixes Devil's Brew by Derek Ramsay

Ingredients

• Thai Chili 
• 40 mL Triple Sec
• 60 mL Tanduay Rhum 5 Years 
• Lime Juice
• Ice
• 300 mL Cranberry Juice
• Lime 
• Kosher Salt and Chili Powder

Procedure

1. Remove the seeds from the Thai chili and muddle (mash) it. 
2. In a mixing glass, add 40 mL triple sec.
3. Pour the Tanduay Rhum 5 Years 
4. Put some lime juice and 300 mL cranberry juice.
5. Add some ice and mix.
6. Rub some lime, kosher salt and chili powder around the rim of a glass. Pour the cocktail you just made. Garnish with chili.

Beginner’s Guide to Rum from Derek Ramsay

There are different varieties and flavors of rum. The best way to learn more about rum is to drink it. 

Actor and Tanduay Rum’s long-time endorser Derek Ramsay can give you a tip or two to learn more about one of the biggest-selling spirits in the world.

Rum can be mixed as a cocktail, enjoyed neat, with a splash of water, or on the rocks. 

• White rums are usually used for cocktails, while dark and golden rums are enjoyed neat or with ice. “I like my rum on the rocks! I usually enjoy a drink before I call it a day,” said Ramsay.

How they’re made determines their taste. 

• There are different kinds of rum in the world, and the ingredients, distillation, and aging process play a huge role in how they taste. In other countries, they are made from raw sugarcane or distilled in a wood-fueled fire. For its Philippine-made rums, Tanduay uses first-syrup molasses that are extracted from the initial boil of quality sugarcane. They are then fermented for 24 to 32 hours prior to distillation after which they are stored in Kentucky bourbon barrels. A master blender, who serves as the guardian of the company’s rum formulas, along with rum specialists will then check the rums for consistency before approving them for bottling and packaging. “Where it came from, who are its makers. Knowing these will assure you of the quality of the rum. Personally, I’d like to get to know my drink of choice,” he explained.  

Dark rum is aged five years or longer, while gold rum is aged at least three years. 

• The former has a heavier body with hints of caramel and tropical fruits, while the latter has a rich taste with hints of vanilla spice. “I prefer the bold flavors and woody notes of dark rum when I find myself in a more pensive mood. When I feel like celebrating with my best buddies, I bring out the gold rum,” he revealed.

White rum is light-bodied with a sweet and spicy taste.

• This makes it perfect for cocktails such as mojitos and daiquiris. “When I feel like spending a cozy afternoon with friends or when hanging out with them in clubs, you can start the fun with a choice of mojito or daiquiri,” he suggested.

Premium rums are sipping rums.

• Some enjoy it neat, while there are those who have it with ice or water. You can also add lime or citrus to it. “Eventually, as you develop a liking for rum, you explore the premium rums. Like the Tanduay CLX Rum, you’ll get hints of chocolate and vanilla, tropical fruits, and orange zest. It’s a different experience altogether,” revealed Ramsay. 

Try different rum varieties.

• Before you get your hands on premium rums, which are the most expensive rum variety, try out the more affordable ones first to determine the ones you like and how you want to drink them. “Lastly, don’t be afraid to explore. Find the rum that best fits your taste for as long as you get to the one,” Ramsay concluded. 

About Tanduay 

Tanduay is one of the most-awarded rum brands in the Philippines, receiving various local and international citations. In 2017, it was declared the World’s Number One Rum by Drinks International magazine. Tanduay will hold this title for three consecutive years. Tanduay started out as a distillery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, a province in the island of Luzon known for its heroes and craftsmen. It changed ownership throughout the decades and has been under the Lucio Tan Group of Companies, Inc., one of the biggest conglomerates in the Philippines, since 1988. Even as the years passed, Tanduay has maintained the traditional way of distilling its rums, a practice that started in its now decommissioned Manila distillery. It has likewise consistently maintained its product quality, ensuring that Filipinos and foreigners alike will enjoy the same taste and aroma of a Tanduay product wherever they are in the world.