How to Make the Perfect Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum is one of our favorite holiday drinks! Warm, sweet, and strong, it’s perfect for sipping by the fire after dinner, or around the table with friends. 

Where Does Hot Buttered Rum Come From?

Hot Buttered Rum doesn’t have a single origin story. Colonial Americans were the first to drink their rum hot, spiced, and buttered. Made from molasses, dark rum is a staple in mixed drinks. The early American colonists had access to plenty of rum, thanks to the nearby Caribbean, with its plentiful sugarcane for molasses. 

Jerry Thomas is widely considered the “father of American mixology” for his numerous books of mixed drinks and cocktails. His 1887 guide to mixology contained the first recipe we know of for hot buttered rum, and it quickly became a holiday classic.

Hot buttered rum was especially popular in the 1940’s, just as the Flaherty family was bringing our famous Tom & Jerry mix into American homes for the first time.

Flaherty’s Hot Buttered Rum

So, yes, we’ll admit it: hot buttered rum is a classic American drink, not an Irish one. But it wouldn’t be Flaherty’s without an Irish twist! That’s why our Hot Buttered Rum mix is made with only the best Irish butter. This gives our drinks a rich, creamy taste that’s hard to beat - no other butter is up to the task!

Many bartenders recommend making a batter like ours for the perfect hot buttered rum. Mixing the butter well with sugar and spices helps it melt evenly into hot water for a perfectly smooth and silky drink.

We’re an allergy-friendly company, so we use no preservative or artificial ingredients. Rum, real Irish butter, dark brown sugar, and a secret mix of delicious spices are all you need to make the perfect mug of Hot Buttered Rum this holiday season.

How to Make Hot Buttered Rum

To make a hot buttered rum on a cold winter’s day, we recommend using Flaherty’s Hot Buttered Rum mix! Simply add a scoop of our hot buttered rum batter to a mug of boiling water and stir well to melt - we recommend using a whisk for easy mixing! Top it off with dark rum (we prefer Bacardi Gold) and a cinnamon swizzle stick for a warm cup of holiday comfort any time!

National Hot Buttered Rum day is January 17th! Be sure to order your Flaherty’s Hot Buttered Rum in time for that very special holiday!