A rum craft distillery has arrived in New Hampshire. Sea Hagg, owned by Heather Hughes and partner Ron Vars, became the only rum maker in the state when they opened last year. And Hughes has just won a award given to a handful of small businesses around the country under the auspices of SCORE, a division of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Sea Hagg’s flagship product is their Silver Rum; they now also make Amber, Peach, and Blueberry. The molasses used for the distillation comes from Louisiana, and the fruit used is local; the aging barrels are charred according to the company’s specs.

There are two ways to go with rum during our chilly Seacoast winter: fruity and tropical, to remind us of sunny beaches, or hot and cozy. Hughes developed this steamy recipe for our long cold nights. “The second best way to stay warm this winter,” she says. She suggests adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an added indulgence.

Adapted from Heather Hughes of Sea Hagg Distillery.

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
½  cup brown sugar, packed
½  tsp. ground allspice or ground cardamom
1 tsp. vanilla extract
16 whole cloves or ¼ tsp. ground cloves
12 ounces Sea Hagg Amber Rum
boiling water or hot cider as needed
8 cinnamon sticks
grated nutmeg for garnish

1. In a medium bowl use an electric mixer on medium-high speed or a wooden spoon to blend butter and brown sugar. Blend in allspice or cardamom and vanilla until smooth.
2. Have ready 8 mugs. In each mug, add 1½ ounces rum, 2 cloves, and a generous tablespoon of the butter mixture. Fill mug with boiling water or hot cider and stir with a cinnamon stick, leaving in mug. Top each mug with grated nutmeg and serve.

Sea Hagg Distillery
135 Lafayette Road, Unit 9
North Hampton, N.H.
603 379-2274

Hot Buttered Hagg - Cocktail of the Month - Taste of the Seacoast - Photograph by Sara Beth Nelson