Data ranking
Lowest Sugar Rum Cocktails, Ranked by Data
"Lower sugar" and "lower calorie" are not the same thing — and a drink that optimises for one often underperforms on the other. The balance score here weights both together, alongside carb content and alcohol level, so the drinks that rank well are genuinely restrained across the board rather than low in one number and high in everything else.
170Recipes reviewed
25Matching this guide
3.1gMedian sugar
151 kcalMedian calories
20.2%Median ABV
Ranked recipes
| # | Drink | Why it ranks | Sugar | Nutrition | Alcohol | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buccaneer | 0.5g sugar | 0.5g | 140 kcal · 3.2g carbs | 16.3% ABV · 1.24 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 2 | Rum Rickey | 1.0g sugar | 1.0g | 151 kcal · 5.0g carbs | 20.2% ABV · 1.46 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 3 | Buckjones | 1.6g sugar | 1.6g | 189 kcal · 7.3g carbs | 21.2% ABV · 1.77 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 4 | Mojito Extra | 0.8g sugar | 0.8g | 298 kcal · 2.1g carbs | 19.5% ABV · 3.08 std | Any occasion |
| 5 | Havana Cocktail | 3.1g sugar | 3.1g | 85 kcal · 4.2g carbs | 20.2% ABV · 0.73 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 6 | Imperial Fizz | 3.1g sugar | 3.1g | 160 kcal · 4.2g carbs | 19.0% ABV · 1.49 std | Any occasion |
| 7 | New Orleans Buck | 4.0g sugar | 4.0g | 162 kcal · 7.2g carbs | 17.5% ABV · 1.46 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 8 | Limona Corona | 3.8g sugar | 3.8g | 383 kcal · 26.3g carbs | 5.9% ABV · 2.63 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 9 | Long Island Iced Tea | 0.1g sugar | 0.1g | 136 kcal · 0.1g carbs | 42.5% ABV · 1.44 std | Any occasion |
| 10 | Apple Rum Rickey | 0.4g sugar | 0.4g | 111 kcal · 2.3g carbs | 27.9% ABV · 1.05 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 11 | Frozen Mint Daiquiri | 4.4g sugar | 4.4g | 156 kcal · 5.4g carbs | 18.6% ABV · 1.46 std | Any occasion |
| 12 | Tchoupitolas Street Guzzle | 4.5g sugar | 4.5g | 113 kcal · 6.3g carbs | 10.8% ABV · 0.73 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 13 | Quarter Deck Cocktail | 0.5g sugar | 0.5g | 119 kcal · 2.4g carbs | 30.7% ABV · 1.20 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 14 | Vesuvio | 4.8g sugar | 4.8g | 122 kcal · 6.4g carbs | 16.3% ABV · 0.87 std | Any occasion |
| 15 | Brown Cocktail | 0.9g sugar | 0.9g | 129 kcal · 1.3g carbs | 34.7% ABV · 1.30 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 16 | Long Island Tea | 0.9g sugar | 0.9g | 142 kcal · 1.9g carbs | 32.2% ABV · 1.44 std | Any occasion |
| 17 | Dark and Stormy | 5.0g sugar | 5.0g | 165 kcal · 7.0g carbs | 14.6% ABV · 1.23 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 18 | Rum Martini | 1.2g sugar | 1.2g | 172 kcal · 1.8g carbs | 34.7% ABV · 1.73 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 19 | Rum Old-fashioned | 1.4g sugar | 1.4g | 125 kcal · 1.4g carbs | 40.1% ABV · 1.30 std | Any occasion |
| 20 | Quentin | 5.5g sugar | 5.5g | 209 kcal · 7.3g carbs | 24.7% ABV · 1.24 std | Any occasion |
| 21 | Rum Dubonnet | 5.5g sugar | 5.5g | 225 kcal · 9.1g carbs | 23.4% ABV · 1.95 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 22 | Monkey Wrench | 6.2g sugar | 6.2g | 137 kcal · 8.2g carbs | 14.8% ABV · 1.12 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 23 | Parisian Blonde Cocktail | 6.2g sugar | 6.2g | 193 kcal · 7.3g carbs | 23.8% ABV · 0.89 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 24 | Bolero Cocktail | 2.2g sugar | 2.2g | 225 kcal · 3.1g carbs | 37.1% ABV · 2.16 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 25 | Chicago Fizz | 6.3g sugar | 6.3g | 146 kcal · 8.5g carbs | 11.2% ABV · 1.07 std | Any occasion |
All nutrition values are estimates based on standard recipe quantities. — = data not available.
Best picks by use case
Watch-out ingredients for sugar
- Fruit juice (especially pineapple, mango, and passion fruit) — can add 10–15g sugar per 60ml serve
- Flavoured liqueurs — most contain 10–20g sugar per 30ml, even ones that do not taste obviously sweet
- Cordials and sweetened syrups — often 20–30g sugar per 30ml
- Grenadine — very high in sugar, used in small amounts but counts
- Fruit purées — natural sugar but still contributes meaningfully
Methodology
Is this guide right for you?
Good fit if:
- You want to compare estimated sugar across cocktail recipes
- You want to see ABV and standard drinks alongside sugar numbers
- You want a data-backed shortlist rather than a generic recipe list
Poor fit if:
- You assume very low sugar means low alcohol — some dry cocktails are still high-ABV
- You need medical or dietary advice
- You need exact bar-specific values — these are recipe estimates
Frequently asked questions
- What does this ranking show?
- This page ranks rum cocktails by estimated sugar content. All 25 drinks come from the WhatDrink database and pass the same recipe quality filters used on individual cocktail pages.
- What makes a rum cocktail lower in sugar?
- The main driver of sugar in a cocktail is the sweetener — simple syrup, liqueur, juice, or flavoured spirit. Swapping syrup for bitters, soda water, or dry vermouth eliminates most added sugar. The base spirit itself contributes negligible sugar.
- Which rum cocktail in this list has the least sugar?
- Based on WhatDrink recipe data, Long Island Iced Tea comes out lowest in estimated sugar in this ranking. Actual values depend on pour size, brand of mixer, and how the drink is prepared.
- Does lower sugar always mean a healthier drink?
- Not necessarily. Alcohol contributes roughly 7 kcal per gram. A drink with low sugar but high ABV can still be high in overall calories. Always check multiple metrics together rather than focusing on one alone.
- How should I use this page to choose a drink?
- The table lets you compare rum cocktails side by side on sugar estimates. Click through to any individual cocktail page for the full ingredient list and nutrition breakdown. The "Top picks" panel highlights the best performers across multiple criteria.
- How many rum cocktails are on this page?
- This ranking includes 25 rum cocktails that pass WhatDrink's recipe quality and data completeness filters. The list updates as new recipes are added to the database.
- Why focus on rum specifically?
- Rum is the base spirit, which sets the alcohol foundation. The mixers and modifiers around it determine most of the sugar and calorie variation, making rum cocktails a useful controlled comparison.