Name: Jamaican Bitter-Sour Rum Highball
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 2 oz Jamaican pot still rum (such as Smith & Cross or Appleton Estate); 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice; 0.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice (preferably white); 0.5 oz Campari or Aperol (for the bitter note; use Campari for more bitterness); 2 dashes Angostura bitters; 1 dash saline solution (or a small pinch of sea salt dissolved in 0.5 tsp water); 2 oz chilled soda water (to top); Large ice cubes; Grapefruit twist or lime wheel (for garnish)

Jamaican Bitter-Sour Rum Highball

HarvestPasta5970

This Jamaican Bitter-Sour Rum Highball is inspired by classic Caribbean flavors, but with a modern mixologist’s twist: assertive pot still rum, bracing lime and grapefruit, a measured dose of bitter liqueur, and just enough saline to sharpen the edges. With little to no sugar added, this cocktail is all about bright, tangy acidity and complex herbal bitterness, making it perfect for cocktail lovers who crave depth and refreshing balance without the sweetness. It’s a sophisticated sipper for warm Colorado evenings or anytime you want a taste of the islands with an edge.

Ingredients

Instructions

Fill a highball glass with large ice cubes.
Add the Jamaican rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, Campari (or Aperol), bitters, and saline solution to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake briskly for 10 seconds to chill and combine.
Strain the mixture into the prepared highball glass over fresh ice.
Top with chilled soda water and gently stir to combine.
Express a grapefruit twist (or lime wheel) over the drink, then drop in as garnish.
Serve immediately and enjoy the balanced bitter-sour complexity.