Old Monk Rum Sangria

A TRIED AND TRUE HOLIDAY FAVORITE IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING!

IT'S FINALLY ON THE BLOG. My coveted holiday sangria recipe that is just impeccable for the holiday season is now yours.

Oh boy, are you in for a treat!!! I've made this for every Friendsgiving for as long as I can remember and am glad after eyeballing it for what feels like forever - I've finally sat down and measured it all out. :)

There’s nothing like sangria to get the party started. This Old Monk Rum Sangria takes everything you love about cozy, warm fall vibes and SERVES IT UP in a glass. It’s the drink your Friendsgiving crew will love you for—and trust me, they’ll be wanting seconds (and thirds).

Combining the deep, caramel-rich notes of Old Monk Rum with a bold, Argentinian Malbec is quite something. What is Old Monk rum, you ask? Old Monk rum, with its iconic flavor profile, isn’t your basic rum. This Indian dark rum (a national treasure, really) is aged to perfection, delivering velvety hints of vanilla, toffee, and a touch of spice that coincide beautifully with the mulling spices used in the recipe. Think cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and orange zest. The result? A drink that feels as festive as it tastes, perfect for pairing with your Friendsgiving spread or sipping by the fire (cozy blankets encouraged).

We're using mulling spices in this recipe and I love how Mablec gives off a subtle spice and earthiness to match. Last but not least, no sangria is complete without some fresh juicy fruit. I opted to use pomegranates and orange slices ,that not only look beautiful but add the right amount of sweetness and tartness to this sangria.

The best part about this recipe is how quick it is to pull together, taking LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TOPS. My partner has even started making it himself for get-togethers this season, which says a lot considering I’m the resident bartender in our household—and yes before you ask, I actually trust him with making it! :) If you’re looking to wow your guests this holiday season, this Old Monk Rum Sangria is IT. This sangria is a surefire holiday hit and I hope you love it as much as I do! While on the topic, if you haven't checked out my new wine charms yet...

I am just saying, you'll be the guest of all guests if you bring a box of these AND the sangria to your Thanks/Friendsgiving this year!

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 bottle of red wine (750 ml) of Malbec (or Shiraz)

• 1/3 cup Old Monk rum (or any dark rum of choice)

• 2 tablespoons jaggery (or brown sugar)

• 1/4 cup of orange juice, freshly squeezed (or storebought juice if you're in a pinch!)

• 2 oranges, thinly sliced into rounds (I used the navel variety)

• 1/2 cup of fresh pomegranate arils/seeds (I used POM)

• 1-2 cinnamon sticks

• 3-5 whole cloves

• Ginger ale for topping (to taste but I recommend at least 2-3 oz for each serving)

DIRECTIONS 

1. In a large pitcher (preferably with a lid), combine the red wine, Old Monk rum, jaggery, and orange juice. Stir to ensure that the jaggery is dissolved.

2. Then, add the orange slices, pomegranate arils/seeds, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Stir gently to combine.

3. Refrigerate tightly sealed/covered (this is IMPORTANT) for at least 4-6 hours or overnight to let the flavors meld.

4. You can serve as is or strain out the whole spices like I typically do. It's an extra step but worth it in my opinion as whole cloves can be very jarring!

5. Serve in wine glasses over lots of ice, topped with ginger ale. Be sure to scoop a bit of fruit into each glass (both the oranges and pomegranate seeds) for the full experience.

~ Serves 6-8

Notes

• There are a couple of substitutions/shortcuts you can take (as directed above) but after making it countless times, I'd recommend making it as close as possible to how I've presented it. I typically don't say this so you know it's worth something when I do. On that note, I've made this with Argentinian Malbec almost every time and it's been FABULOUS. I've found this one from Alamos at every grocer and love that it is usually $10 or less at the store.

• The recipe above is for 6-8 servings but I've doubled it every time I've made it thus far this year - 'tis the season! If helpful, find the measurements below for a double batch:

  • 2 bottles of red wine

  • 2/3 cup of Old Monk rum

  • 1/2 cup orange juice

  • 4 tablespoons of jaggery

  • 2 oranges, thinly sliced

  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds

  • 2-4 cinnamon sticks

  • 6-10 whole cloves

  • 1 bottle (1 L) ginger ale, for topping

• The more you let it sit, the more pronounced the whole spices will be. For the best results, I recommend making it the morning of your get-together, so that it gets the full 6-8 hours it needs. If you are in a pinch, you can most definitely make it the night before your party but make sure it is tightly sealed as we don't want air affecting the taste and/or quality of the sangria.

• If you don't prefer the ratio of sweetness I've recommended in this recipe, you can add less jaggery OR top with less ginger ale. Another option would be to use club soda instead of ginger ale - but I prefer the sweetness ratios in this one to make it easy to serve for a crowd AND to balance the flavor of the rum + whole spices used.