Eggnog has been an American holiday drink since colonial days, and for most of that history the spirit doing the heavy lifting was rum. Pick the right bottle and eggnog goes from sweet and flat to rich, spiced, and genuinely good. Here's what to look for, which rums work best, and how to make it.
A Quick History: Why Rum?
Eggnog descends from posset, a medieval British drink of hot milk curdled with ale or wine, often sweetened and spiced. In Britain, the versions made with eggs, milk, and sherry were a luxury for the wealthy. American colonists had plenty of milk and eggs from their own farms, but imported sherry and Madeira were expensive. Rum and whiskey were cheap and easy to find, so they went into the bowl instead.
A well-known recipe attributed to Mount Vernon (probably written down by the kitchen staff rather than George Washington himself) calls for a quart each of cream and milk, a dozen eggs, a pint of brandy, half a pint of rye, half a pint of Jamaica rum, and a quarter pint of sherry. The final instruction is to let it rest in a cool place for several days and "taste frequently."
Eggnog also has at least one riot to its name. On Christmas Eve 1826, West Point cadets smuggled whiskey onto the academy grounds for an eggnog party in defiance of an alcohol ban. The night ended with 19 cadets court-martialed. Future Confederate president Jefferson Davis was among the cadets involved.
What Makes a Good Eggnog Rum
Dairy, egg, and sugar flatten the flavor of whatever spirit you add. A light, neutral rum disappears. You want a rum with enough body and character to come through the cream, and bartenders generally point in two directions:
- Aged rum, ideally 6 to 10 years. Difford's Guide recommends an aged Caribbean blend, often split with cognac, because aged rum adds dryness that balances the egg and milk.
- Heavy, "English-style" rum. Rum consultant Shannon Mustipher describes eggnog as a traditional British punch built on rum blends from Jamaica, Barbados, or Guyana, the island styles known for pot still character and weight.
Many of the best recipes use a combination: aged rum for depth, plus cognac, brandy, or bourbon for structure.
Our Picks for Eggnog
Aged Demerara rum. Guyana's Demerara rums are rich and full-bodied, which is exactly what eggnog needs. El Dorado 8 Year is the value pick; El Dorado 12 Year steps up the depth.
Aged Jamaican rum. For the funky, traditional "Jamaica rum" of the colonial recipes, Appleton Estate 12 Year is the classic, and Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold brings straight pot still character.
Navy strength. Smith & Cross is a Jamaican pot still rum bottled at 57% ABV. A little goes a long way, and the high proof cuts through the cream. Split it with a softer aged rum if you want it less intense.
Solera rum. Nihat Cam, Director of Bars at The Tampa EDITION, recommends Santa Teresa 1796 for eggnog because its dryness cuts through the dairy and eggs.
For big batches. Bartender Hannah Jones's aged eggnog recipe for PUNCH, which makes about five gallons, uses Rum-Bar Gold alongside bourbon, apple brandy, and cognac.
For coquito. If you're making coquito instead (more on that below), bartender LyAnna Sanabria recommends Puerto Rican rum like Don Q, or Cruzan Black Strap for a rich baking-spice note.
A Simple Single-Serving Eggnog
This is adapted from Difford's Guide's classic recipe. It's built one drink at a time, so it's easy to dial in before you commit to a batch.
25 ml (about ¾ oz) aged rum
25 ml (about ¾ oz) cognac
10 ml (about ⅓ oz) rich 2:1 sugar syrup
25 ml (about ¾ oz) whole milk
1 whole egg (pasteurized recommended)
Dry-shake everything without ice to emulsify the egg, then shake hard with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top.
Making Aged Eggnog
Many bartenders make eggnog weeks ahead and let it age in the fridge, which mellows the alcohol and rounds out the flavor. America's Test Kitchen's rule of thumb: use 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirit for every egg in the base, and leave the dairy out until you're ready to serve.
You'll often hear that the alcohol makes aged eggnog safe from salmonella. That's based on small, informal lab tests at Rockefeller University. In one, heavily spiked eggnog was sterile after three weeks in the fridge, but a 2008 test found that alcohol did not kill all the bacteria within 24 hours. It's not a substitute for food safety.
The safe approach: the FDA recommends using pasteurized eggs or heating the egg and milk mixture to 160°F. Be especially careful when serving children, pregnant women, older adults, or anyone with a weakened immune system.
Bonus: Coquito
Coquito is Puerto Rico's holiday answer to eggnog: a creamy, spiced, rum-based drink built on coconut milk, coconut cream, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warm spices. Many versions, including Sanabria's, skip eggs entirely. Her recipe for PUNCH uses a full 750 ml bottle of rum and keeps for four to six weeks in the refrigerator, so it's ideal for making ahead and giving away in bottles.