10 Best Juices To Pair With Rum, According To Experts

Rum is one of those spirits that instantly reminds you of warm weather and tropical vibes. Maybe it's because it pairs so well with fruity flavors, or maybe it's just because it is synonymous with the Caribbean, but either way, rum and juice are a match made in heaven. At least my kind of tropical heaven, that's for sure. Even so, some juices pair better with the beloved spirit than others, and if you've ever wondered which, you're in the right place. I checked in with several experts on the matter, and what they told me is sure to set you and your future rum cocktails up for success.

As for the experts who lent professional insights, three people were more than happy to divulge what they think are some of the best juices to pair with rum: Juan Noriega, the director of beverage at Benihana, Moises Ramirez, the director of food & beverage at Sheraton Houston Brookhollow, and Marko Karakasevic, co-owner and master distiller at Charbay Distillery. Together, they came up with the best juices to mix with rum that you find below. While some of them are fairly common and expected, a few are tropical enough to make you want to branch out from the ordinary and embrace the beachy vibes we all know rum cocktails are more than capable of achieving. Keep reading to find out what they are, and your future rum highball cocktails are sure to be a smashing success.

As Moises Ramirez put it, pineapple juice is "the ultimate tropical mixer," so it's a shoo-in for mixing up creative and traditional rum cocktails. Heck, it even works as a great mixer all by itself when it comes to a favorite sugar cane-based spirit. "Its sweet and tangy flavor acts as a refreshing counterpoint to the occasional intense sweetness of rum," says Ramirez. Pineapple juice is also the foundation for classic rum cocktails like the piña colada and rum punch. I don't know about you, but just the thought of a piña colada has me ready to swear allegiance to pineapple juice and rum's undeniable bond.

As if that wasn't enough, Juan Noriega also highlighted the wonderful match pineapple juice and rum make, "The natural acidity in pineapple helps balance rum's sweetness, while the tropical notes naturally align with the sugar and molasses notes found in rum." He recommended pairing it with silver and dark rums and avoiding aged rums because the potency of pineapple juice can overpower the subtlety of the rich flavors found in the rum. However, Marko Karakasevic disagreed with this. He noted that pineapple juice is a classic pairing with light and aged rums. Either way, according to Karakasevic, the tropical sweetness of the juice and its inherent acidity not only complement rum but highlight the molasses and vanilla notes found within. Sounds like a winner to me.

Next up on the list of the best juices to pair with rum is lime juice, and you know what? I think most of us saw it coming from a mile away. After all, have you ever heard of a mojito? It's definitely got a blast of lime juice, and it's so dang delicious it'll make a rum fan out of anyone who gets a taste, but I digress. The reason lime juice and rum make such a wonderful combination is that "lime cuts sweetness and adds structure across all rum styles," said Marko Karakasevic. He also pointed out that it is essential for balance.

Juan Noriega agreed with Karakasevic by saying, "Lime provides essential acid structure that helps cut sweetness and sharpen rum's natural flavors." He also added the daiquiri to the list of the all-time best rum cocktails, and you better believe it's got tons of lime juice in it. Actually, that's the main flavor. Lastly, Noriega highlighted the fact that lime juice works exceptionally well with silver and aged rums, so it's far from a one-trick pony.

Right on cue, Moises Ramirez backed up everything our other two experts said. He told me lime juice is essential for cutting through rum's sweetness, and its acidity helps you achieve balance in your drinks. Plus, he told me it adds a zesty kick to aged rums, and it is "indispensable for daiquiris and mojitos." Enough said, am I right?

Oh, orange juice. It's everyone's favorite breakfast juice, but that's not where the fun stops. In fact, all three expert bartenders highlighted it as being a fantastic mixer for rum, as well. Move over breakfast, it's time for a cocktail — or should we just turn our morning meal into brunch? Yes, please.

So, why is orange juice a great mixer for rum? According to Juan Noriega, "Orange's soft sweetness perfectly complements vanilla and oak notes," both of which are found in rum. He also noted that the underlying spices in spiced rums work particularly well with orange juice. He's not the biggest fan of it with silver or dark rums, though, because he said silver lacks the weight needed to stand up to a heavy mixer like OJ, and when paired with dark rums, it can taste overly rich. Despite what Noriega said, Marko Karakasevic told me that orange juice's "soft citrus sweetness pairs particularly well with aged rums, rounding out caramel, spice, and oak flavors." Hm, seems like we might have to experiment a bit ourselves, huh? I'm up for the challenge if you are.

Moises Ramirez, on the other hand, said he likes orange juice with golden rum because it highlights the notes of fruit and spice. He also told me orange juice "provides a sweet, slightly tart flavor that creates a well-rounded, easy-to-drink cocktail (e.g., a Rum Sunrise or simply a Rum and OJ)."

Now it's time for one of the less common juice pairings for rum that I alluded to in the intro. May I present... passion fruit juice. All three experts went out of their way to tell me how wonderful it is with rum, so it may not be the juice you have in your fridge right now (like limes or orange juice), but something tells me it's worth going out of your way to give it a try with your next rum cocktail or highball.

According to Juan Noriega, "The bright acidity of passion fruit and intense aroma contrast beautifully with rum's richness, creating depth without heaviness." He noted that it is best paired with silver rum because it adds complexity without overpowering or eliminating nuance, something that's easy to do with aged and dark rums. Marko Karakasevic tends to agree, as well, "Bright, tart, and aromatic, passion fruit adds energy and lift, especially with lighter or moderately aged rums." Obviously, he added another type of rum to the perfect pairing list — moderately aged ones — but still. Moises Ramirez also chimed in on the matter by saying, "Known for its intense aroma and tangy, sour flavor, it provides a vibrant, tropical punch that holds its own against strong, dark rums." So, regardless of the type of rum, it seems our experts all concur that guava juice and rum are an outstanding pairing.

Another less common but delightfully delicious juice to pair with rum is guava juice. A tropical dream, it evokes all the floral sweetness associated with the lands from which rum is made, so why wouldn't it go well with rum? When you think of it like that, it seems pretty obvious, but let's see what the experts had to say on the matter, shall we?

Juan Noriega told me, "Guava's floral sweetness helps enhance rum's tropical notes while maintaining a soft, rounded mouth feel, making the rum feel lush without overwhelming it." Sign me up! He also noted that silver rums in particular are great with guava juice, but you may want to avoid pairing it with oak-heavy renditions of the spirit because it can overpower the clarity of flavors.

Even so, this is where our experts don't completely align. Marko Karakasevic told me, "Floral and gently sweet, guava enhances depth and works beautifully with aged rum styles." Okay, so he didn't highlight silver rums but added aged rums to the list of styles that taste great with guava juice. Seems like a winner regardless. Just stay away from oak-heavy ones. It would probably still make a yummy drink, but why go out of the way to get a bottle with nuanced flavors just to strong-arm them out of the arena with a heavy mixer at the last moment, right?

Circling back to another tried-and-true cocktail mixer, cranberry juice is a fantastic pick when it comes time to whip up a rum drink. Tart, sweet, and dry all at the same time, it not only highlights rum's inherent qualities but adds a little something different to the mix, leaving you with what can only be described as a refreshing rum cocktail. You don't have to get fancy, either. As Moises Ramirez told me, cranberry juice's "tart and dry profile cuts through the sweetness of rum, providing a sharp and refreshing contrast for simple highballs." Cranberry juice for the win.

Elaborate cocktail or not, Juan Noriega said, "The tart qualities of cranberry juice help add tension to rum's sweetness." He also told me that "Cranberry juice creates contrast and freshness, making the rum feel lighter." Interesting descriptions, but I like what I'm hearing. He recommended pairing cranberry juice with aged and spiced rums. Marko Karakasevic backed Noriega up on this, as well, by saying, "Crisp and tart, cranberry balances sweeter or spiced rums and adds a clean, refreshing finish."

So, the next time you are wondering what to mix with a spiced rum, there's no need to overthink it. Cranberry juice has your back, and it doesn't need any help. Sure, adding more elements to your cocktails can take them to the next level, but cranberry juice has what it takes to stand alone as a solid mixer for spiced rums all by itself.

Mmm, mangoes. Arguably one of nature's most delectable fruits, mangoes are deliciously sweet and juicy any way you choose to consume them. However, turn them into juice and pair it with rum, and it only gets better. Just in case you aren't sold on the idea, all three of our expert bartenders recommended mango juice with rum, so buckle up, because they are about to change your mind and win you over for good.

As Moises Ramirez told me, "Pairing exceptionally well with tropical-style rums, mango juice delivers a smooth, rich texture and a luscious, sweet flavor, creating a very flavorful drink." Rich, luscious, and flavorful? You don't have to tell me twice. As for the type of rum to pair with mango juice, Juan Noriega had this to say, "Mango's silky texture and ripe sweetness complement silver rum's clean profile particularly well." He also noted that mango can weigh down spiced and dark rums, but Marko Karakasevic begged to differ. He highlighted fuller-bodied, spiced, and dark rums as a wonderful pairing for the rich, tropical notes of mango juice because they can amplify warmth while still creating a smooth cocktail overall. Sounds like we have another taste test brewing, doesn't it?

The next rum and juice pairing up for your consideration is white grape juice. Admittedly, this particular mash-up threw me for a loop, but if Juan Noriega said it makes a wonderful combination, who am I to argue? So, why does white grape juice taste great with rum? Let's find out.

First things first, Noriega came right out and said white grape juice is an underrated pairing, specifically for aged rums. Even so, he told me that, "The subtle sweetness and soft acidity of white grapes help highlight the oak, caramel and vanilla notes of aged rum without dominating its subtle nuances." He also noted that it can be "a bit too restrained for silver rum and far too delicate for dark rums, but it is the perfect pair to aged rum's qualities."

Thanks for the clarity, Noriega, because I'm sure I was not the only one scratching my head when I first heard white grape juice is one of the best juices to pair with rum. Even so, his description of how it highlights the underlying elements of aged rum is more than intriguing enough to make me give it a try with my next bottle of the spirit. Actually, I may just have to place a pickup order for some right now.

The final classic juice (found in every bar worth its salt) that pairs well with rum is grapefruit juice. As Marko Karakasevic put it, "Bittersweet and refreshing, grapefruit adds contrast and complexity without overpowering the rum." Since contrast, complexity, and balance are the essential elements to making a delicious cocktail, it sounds like Karakasevic is on to something here. He wasn't the only one to recommend the pairing, either.

Moises Ramirez backed up what Karakasevic said about grapefruit juice and rum being a wonderful combination and elaborated by telling me, "The sharp, slightly bitter, and crisp nature of grapefruit juice balances the often 'funky' sweetness of rum, making for a sophisticated and refreshing highball, similar to a 'Salty Dog' with rum." What I'm hearing is that, all by itself, grapefruit juice is a shoo-in for rum drinks. Sure, you could be more elaborate with your cocktails, but when a quick, two-ingredient highball is what the doctor ordered, grapefruit juice is ready to blow you away, no extra frills required.

Before any of you get up in arms about coconut water not being a juice, it's certainly not water, so what else could it be? I guess we could give it a category all its own (it's delightfully unique enough to deserve one, that's for sure), but it's definitely more of a juice than water. Now that's settled, let's get to the nitty-gritty details of what makes coconut "water" a winning pair.

According to Moises Ramirez, coconut water "brings a subtle, tropical flavor that acts as a light, hydrating mixer, perfect for bringing out the natural, coastal notes of white rum without overpowering it." That alone is enough to sell me on the pairing's potential, but I'm a coconut water enthusiast. Regardless, Marko Karakasevic backed up Ramirez's claims. As he told me, "Light and subtly sweet, coconut water pairs best with light rums and keeps drinks refreshing rather than heavy."

Besides, coconut water is a hydration powerhouse, and I think we can all admit that staying on top of hydration while imbibing is key to feeling your best the next day. So, why not get a little help from our friend, coconut water, at the same time? Now, if you'll please excuse me, I should probably go and make one right now. I can't be the only one whose mouth is watering, right?