It's the middle of Spring, and Mother Nature is teasing us with warmer daytime temps, only to be met with a quick cool down in the evenings. It's definitely not swimming pool weather, but at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Luckily, tropical drinks have a particularly transportive quality, and we find that sipping these cocktails makes it easy to imagine yourself on a sunny beach, even when it’s still a bit chilly outside.
The classic daiquiri is one of the most popular and often riffed-on tropical cocktails. The simple combination of rum, lime juice, and sugar is seriously delicious with the proper ratios. It’s also conducive to all sorts of fun twists.
In the Two Tickets, we’ve added a hefty amount of Peychaud’s Bitters and freshly grated nutmeg. You’ll find that the cherry and anise flavors from the Peychaud’s elevate the Distiller's Cut Rum while the nutmeg energizes the lime, lifting the daiquiri to the next level. Plus, who doesn’t love a pink drink?
In the Higgy Baby (why yes, that is a Magnum P.I. reference), you’ll notice plenty of sunny pear and pineapple flavors courtesy of our Pear Brandy and Tropical Pineapple Syrup. Fans of spicy, fresh ginger will love the Ginger Pineapple Daiquiri. And if you’d like to try our single-barrel Amber Rum in a cocktail, give the Cascara Daiquiri a whirl.
With strawberry season right around the corner, you’ll want to bookmark this Strawberry Daiquiri recipe. After a quick muddle and shake, you’ll have a vibrant cocktail. If rhubarb is available, making a quick and easy rhubarb syrup for a lovely pink Rhubarb Daiquiri would be well worth it.
You could also switch things up with Old Tom Gin in the Cat’s Paw. The fresh-squeezed grapefruit in this play on a Hemingway Daiquiri will have you feeling those sunny Key West vibes.
Or, you could explore a lower ABV option made with cinnamon demerara syrup and our Ginger and Cascara Liqueurs called the Tropical Sonata.
For those who don’t mind busting out the blender, we suggest a frozen berry daiquiri inspired by a berry cobbler. Our New Deal Spiced Rum adds baking spice notes while the tartness of the berries and lime keeps the drink balanced and not too sweet.
Speaking of Spiced Rum, these next few drinks take advantage of all those cinnamon and nutmeg notes that pair well with fruity, tropical flavors.
If you’d like a sophisticated, spirit-forward cocktail, the super-smooth Sleepy Tiki is for you. Or, perhaps our Spiced Rum Old Fashioned, made with cinnamon demerara syrup, is more your speed.
Been to New Orleans lately? They say it’s the gateway to the tropics, and what better way to dream of the Big Easy than with this fabulous Hurricane in hand?
Or, why not go the old school tropical route with a potent, fruit-forward Zombie--featuring not one, but three, different spirits plus two tropical syrups?
Fans of the Jungle Bird will like this riff we call the Fowl Play, where we combine Spiced Rum, Campari, and our Tropical Pineapple Syrup for a delightfully bitter banger. If you would like to alternate your drinks with NA cocktails (we hear the kids call this zebra striping), you might want to check out our zero-proof take on a Jungle Bird, which we call the Free Bird. You might also like this Spiced Mai Tai with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg from the spiced rum float. Just don’t forget the mint— it’s key for classic mai tai aromatics.
We’ll stop here, but we have many more tropical cocktail recipes on our website, or stay tuned for Tropical Drinks 301!