Rum Cow Is An Underrated Cocktail With A Milky Twist

Prepare yourself, adventurous drinkers: A long-forgotten yet one-of-a-kind tropical cocktail is destined to return. A rum cow is a milky tiki drink that can trace its origins back to the 1940s. Made with only four simple ingredients — dark rum, whole milk, simple syrup, and bitters — the rum cow is a sophisticated and well-balanced drink that deserves a spot in your cocktail rotation.

While the seemingly incompatible ingredients in a rum cow might raise eyebrows at first glance, they actually come together seamlessly. Dark rum is the foundation of this uncommon cocktail; its caramel and molasses notes add warmth and depth to the mild creaminess of whole milk. Milk might not be an obvious choice to add to cocktails, but it takes the edge off of the rum's sting without dulling its flavor. The simple syrup and bitters add a sweet and subtly aromatic air to round out the drink. 

Some bartenders might include additional spices like vanilla and cinnamon to brighten up the drink, but the no-frills traditions of a classic rum cow make it accessible to the average at-home mixologist. Simply rattle your ingredients in an ice-laden cocktail shaker until well combined before straining and pouring over ice — et voilà, the milky boozy beverage you didn't know you needed.

Inspired by the Caribbean and Pacific Islands, the tiki lifestyle was brought to California by its founding father Donn Beach circa 1930. Old-school tiki bars — embellished with totems, palm trees, surfboards, and other emblems of paradise under grass hut rooftops — sold rum-based cocktails designed to transport the average American to the coast of the Cayman Islands with just one sip. But it wasn't just piña coladas these tropical watering holes shook up for their patrons, the beloved rum cow was also born in the tiki era. The rum cow was intended as a post-bender aperitif designed to cut through the colorful sweetness of other fruity tiki drinks. But like the rest of tiki's flamboyant aesthetic, the cocktail fizzled out when disco fever curbed the promise of paradise.

Although milk, sugar, bitters, and liquor might not seem like your average lineup of cocktail ingredients, rum cows aren't the only drink based on this foundation. From timeless libations like holiday egg nog to contemporary milk drinks like the espresso martini, as well as the rum cow's precursors like the leche preparada piña and the banana cow, American mixology has long used milk as the crux for cocktails. 

If the archetypal rum cow recipe doesn't appeal to you, there are variations to consider. Jamaican rum, a complex spirit made with sugar cane molasses distilled in copper pots is the traditional spirit used in rum cows, however, spiced rum and other dark rum can used as a substitute. Avoid using whiskey in a rum cow recipe — its peaty flavor can't stack up to the essential sweetness of dark rum.

Tiki expert and bartender at New York City's Le CouCou Jelani Johnson advises that if there's one rum cow ingredient that you should never compromise on, it's whole milk. Skim milk, nut milk, and other plant-based alternatives are too watery to give the cocktail the creamy quality it needs. If you can't drink milk due to dietary restrictions, use the creamiest dairy-free milk you can find. Cashew milk, oat milk, and of course coconut milk, are great options with neutral flavors that won't dim the complexities of Jamaican rum. 

If you want to introduce complementary flavors to your rum cow, try infusing it with vanilla, maple, or coconut extracts. Some tiki enthusiasts even serve their rum cow warm by gently heating whole milk and introducing it to the remaining, room-temperature ingredients. Though you're unlikely to find rum cows on most official bar menus, if they have the ingredients behind the bar, ask your bartender if they can make it, or assemble this tiki classic from the comforts of your own home.