Classic Rum and Coke

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/8/24
Tested by
Tom Macy
Photo of Tom Macy
Tested by Tom Macy
Tom wears many cocktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title "obsessive cocktail nerd."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The rum and Coke is an unbelievably simple yet satisfying cocktail. Everything that you need to know about mixing this popular drink is right there in the name. That said, even the easiest of mixed drinks can be made just a little better (or worse) and deserves a bit more attention than it often receives.

At its most basic level, the rum and Coke will be as simple as a pour of your favorite rum in a tall glass filled with ice. Light rum is popular in this drink (like Bacardi), but dark rums can also be used. It is finished off with a cola (Coca-Cola is the soda of choice) and a lime wedge. As many drinkers can attest, however, it is easy to get a bad rum and Coke.

Rum and Coke on the rocks in highball glass with a lime wedge

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 
What You'll Need To Make This Rum and Coke Recipe
A Handy Dandy Jigger
A Sharp Paring Knife
A Good Tumbler

"The rum and Coke—aka Cuba Libre—can be considerably more than an entry-level cocktail. The key? Keep your ingredients in balance. Watch how much Coke you’re pouring and use a decent white rum for that tropical sugar cane flavor. Make sure everything is ice cold (even the glass) and don’t skimp on the lime wedge!" —Tom Macy

The Rum and Coke Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for rum and coke recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  2. Pour the rum into a highball glass filled with ice.

    White rum added to highball glass filled with ice cubes

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  3. Top with cola.

    Cola added to ice and rum in highball glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  4. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy.

    Rum and Coke in a highball glass garnished with a lime wedge

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

What's the Right Proportions for a Rum and Coke?

Where the rum and Coke often goes bad is the ratio of the two ingredients. It is such an easy drink that bartenders—pro and amateur alike—typically dismiss the need for a balance of flavors. This results in a drink that is either "burnt" with alcohol or too sweet with soda.

The problem comes to light when drinkers try to "fix" a bad rum and Coke. All too often, they feel that they ​didn't pour enough rum because they can't taste it, so they add another shot. Now they have a double shot of rum and, unless another splash of Coke is added, the drink is too strong. This is great if you want to get drunk, but not so good if you want to taste a good drink.


What are the best proportions for a rum and Coke? Typically, most drinkers will find a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 to have the best flavor and much of that will depend on the rum you choose.

Tips

  • The 1:2 pour creates a classically styled rum and Coke. To make this in the average 10-ounce highball glass, pour 2 ounces of rum and 4 ounces of Coke.
  • The 1:3 pour is often preferred by modern drinkers because we tend to like drinks a little sweeter. This version would use 2 ounces of rum with 6 ounces of Coke.
  • Don't worry that either of those pours will not fill the 10-ounce glass. You should have already filled your glass with ice, which will take up the rest of the volume; consider ice to be the rum and Coke's third ingredient.
  • It is tempting to pour any old rum that is on the rail or well into a rum and Coke. The theory is that this is too simple of a drink and should not be used to waste a perfectly good shot of booze, so people tend to use the cheap stuff. Do yourself a favor and pour a rum you wouldn't mind drinking straight.
  • White rums are the most popular base for rum and Coke, though you might also really enjoy it with an aged rum.
  • We recommend putting the rum in the freezer for ultimate chill—that way the ice will melt slower.

Recipe Variations

  • By rights, the rum and Coke is made with Coca-Cola, and this is what the bartender will give you at the bar. Some drinkers prefer Pepsi because it is a softer cola, and that is perfectly fine. Be sure to order a "rum and Pepsi" at the bar if this is your preference.
  • You will notice a big difference between the Coke sold in the U.S. and the soda meant for other markets in the world that use real sugar. These make the Coke made with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) pale in comparison. The demand for real-sugar Coke has made it easier to find in the U.S., so if you spot it, stock up.
  • Other colas, particularly those designed specifically as mixers for cocktails (e.g., Q Kola, Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola, and Fenitmans Curiosity Cola), will improve this drink even more. Give them a try, especially if you're trying to avoid HFCS.
  • Adding the juice from a lime will create a drink called the Cuba libre.

How Strong Is a Rum and Coke?

Despite its reputation, the properly poured rum and Coke is a surprisingly light drink because the cola and ice make up most of the drink's volume. With an 80-proof rum, the 1:2 rum and Coke weighs in at 12 percent ABV (24 proof), and the 1:3 is a little lighter at 9.5 percent ABV (19 proof).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
246 Calories
1g Fat
33g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 246
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 39mg 195%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 147mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)