This Might Be The Best Type Of Liquor To Mix With Dr Pepper

A quick Google search for Dr Pepper cocktail ideas reveals that at one time or another people have paired just about everything with this soda. Looking through the ideas gathered by Bar None Drinks, some of these pairings sound quite intriguing, like Vanilla Pleasure which is Dr Pepper blended with Crown Royal whisky and vanilla, and others that are frankly rather nauseating, like the Mud F*** which mixed the soda with milk and vodka. 

That last one not withstanding, we can understand why Dr Pepper makes such a fantastic drinker mixer. Thrive Cuisine describes the flavor of the soda as having a cherry and dark fruit flavor, but says its more complex than a simple cherry cola because it also has herb and sassafras notes similar to root beer. While many types of liqueurs have been tried with the soda, we couldn't help but notice that one type is used more frequently than the rest, and that's rum. 

The Spruce Eats says that rum flavor varies depending on the variety, with the light version being clean and light and dark rums having a stronger molasses-like flavor. One thing that all rums share though is that delectable sweetness that comes from distilling the alcohol from sugar cane. The sweetness of rum makes for a delicious and extra sweet cocktail when paired with sodas like Coke, but with Dr Pepper there's the added complexity of the spicy and fruity flavors (via Thrive Cuisine). The liquor itself can have additional flavor notes of smoke and wood from the barrels it's aged in. Together the seemingly simple combination creates a really unique drink. 

There are a number of rums available, of course, with different flavors beyond whether they're light or dark, and there are tempting cocktails made with many of them. Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum is a popular pairing with Dr Pepper, one that amps up the spiciness from subtle to aggressive. A cocktail named Dr. Chia uses coconut rum to add a tropical flair to the fruity soda. The Drink Kings also share a cocktail that takes the coconut rum and Dr Pepper combination even further: The Ships Doctor, which adds gin and citrus juice to the mix. Food Republic recommends their Dr. Scola, which mixes Dr Pepper with rum, bitters, orange zest, and Fernet-Branca: An herby, almost medicinal Italian liqueur.