Eclipse Barbados Sunset: The Rum Cocktail Built for Summer Evenings
There are cocktails you make because they are clever, and cocktails you make because they taste like the best version of wherever you are. The Eclipse Barbados Sunset is the second kind. Mount Gay Rum, fresh grapefruit, lime, soda and a handful of mint. It is light, citrusy, long and made for drinking outside while the sun drops and the barbecue cools down.
What Is an Eclipse Barbados Sunset?
The Eclipse Barbados Sunset is a shaken rum highball built around Mount Gay Rum, one of the oldest and most respected rums in the world, from Barbados. Fresh grapefruit juice gives it a bittersweet citrus backbone, lime sharpens it, mint lifts the aromatics, and soda water lengthens the whole thing into something crisp and sessionable.
It sits somewhere between a mojito and a Paloma — less sweet than the first, less tequila-forward than the second, with a clean, tropical character that works from the first sip to the last.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
- 50ml Mount Gay Rum
- 25ml fresh grapefruit juice
- 15ml fresh lime juice
- 100ml soda water
- 4 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig to garnish
- Ice
How to Make an Eclipse Barbados Sunset
- Build the shaker. Add the Mount Gay Rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake. Fill with ice and shake well for 10–12 seconds, until the shaker is frosted.
- Strain. Double strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
- Top with soda. Pour over the soda water and give it one gentle stir to combine.
- Garnish. Finish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Serves 1. Ready in around 5 minutes.
Tips for Getting It Right
Use fresh grapefruit. Pink grapefruit gives the best balance of sweet and bitter. White grapefruit works but leans sharper, so add a teaspoon of sugar syrup if it tastes too tart.
Shake first, soda second. Never shake the soda water — it goes flat instantly and you lose the lift that makes this drink work. Shake everything else, strain, then top.
Clap the mint, don’t muddle it. For the garnish, clap the mint sprig between your palms once before placing it on top. This releases the oils without breaking the leaves down into the drink.
Double strain properly. A fine mesh strainer catches the shredded mint leaves and any ice shards, keeping the drink clean and smooth.
Make it a jug. Multiply the rum, grapefruit and lime by six, shake in batches with ice, strain into a jug and top with a full bottle of soda just before serving. Add the mint garnish to each glass individually.
What to Serve It With
The Eclipse Barbados Sunset is a natural partner for anything off the barbecue. Jerk chicken, grilled prawns, spiced lamb kebabs and corn on the cob all work brilliantly alongside the grapefruit and mint. For something lighter, try it with a watermelon and feta salad or fish tacos.
Where to Buy Mount Gay Rum
Mount Gay Rum is available at your local Bargain Booze, alongside the rest of the spirits range and the wider Booze Bar cocktail collection. Use the store locator at bargainbooze.co.uk/store-locator to find your nearest shop.
FAQs
Can I make an Eclipse Barbados Sunset without a shaker?
Yes. Add the rum, grapefruit, lime and mint to a tall glass, fill with ice, stir well for 30 seconds and top with soda. It won’t be quite as smooth, but it’ll still taste great.
What can I use instead of Mount Gay?
Any golden or aged Barbados rum will work. Doorly’s, Cockspur or Plantation 3 Stars are all good alternatives. Avoid dark or heavily spiced rums, as they overpower the citrus.
How strong is it?
With 50ml of Mount Gay at 40% ABV, it’s roughly 1.6 units of alcohol — similar to a pint of lager.
Can I make it without grapefruit?
Orange juice is the closest substitute, though the drink will be sweeter and lose some of its bittersweet edge. Add an extra squeeze of lime to compensate.
Is it the same as a rum Paloma?
Similar family, different drink. A Paloma uses tequila and grapefruit soda; the Eclipse Barbados Sunset uses rum, fresh grapefruit juice and plain soda, so it’s lighter and less sweet.
