Here's How To Make A Legendary Summer Cocktail

What's the most legendary summer cocktail? Some might argue that frosé should take the crown. And while we agree that frosé is delicious (and probably the season's trendiest boozy drink), does it meet the following summer drink criteria: evocative name, refreshing taste, easy assemblage, and an action-packed backstory? Taste, name, and assemblage may be covered, but what's missing here is adventure. And that's where the Dark n' Stormy comes in. This beverage begins where all great beverages begin — with a seriously amazing beachy backstory.

Tied to Bermuda (the shipwreck capital of the world) as the unofficial drink of the island, the D&S was named, as legend has it, by a sailor after ominous seafaring weather (due to its two-toned cloudy coloring). It's since been trademarked by Gosling's Black Seal Rum which, according to a Travel Insider post by CNN, successfully sailed to and settled on the island back in 1806 — starting up its powerhouse rum business and taking over as the preferred local liquor.

And for a cocktail with such a mysterious and tantalizing name, you have to wonder what exactly goes into making a Dark n' Stormy? Aside from rum, ginger beer, and lime, the optional add-ins are endless. So we chatted with the head bartender from New York's Amor y Amargo, Sother Teague, to get the inside scoop on specializing this classic summer cocktail. Teague recently created a spin on the classic called "Rough Seas" (recipe below) and describes it as "a perfect alternative for a Dark and Stormy if you're looking for a cocktail with a little more kick." So while the rest of your squad is frosé-ing this summer, do the epic thing and order up a Dark n' Stormy; keep the mystery and the legend alive one sip at time.

Rough Seas
Created by Sother Teague, Amor y Amargo

Ingredients
1 oz. Jägermeister
1 oz. aged rum
.75 oz. ginger syrup
.75 oz. Orgeat
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
2-3 heavy dashes of Peychaud's bitters

Instructions
1. Pour all of the ingredients except for the bitters into a shaker tin.

2. Add a few pebbles of ice and shake to aerate and chill.

3. Fill a double old-fashioned glass with pebble ice and strain the cocktail into the glass using a Hawthorne strainer.

4. Mound more pebble ice on top like a snow cone and "paint" with Peychaud's bitters.

Other recipes to check out this weekend:
Classic Dark n' Stormy
Pink n' Stormy
Frozen Dark n' Stormy
Vanilla-Infused Pear Dark n' Stormy