Tiki bars not only had a well-publicized moment and then another hyped moment, by now these tropical indulgences are a staple of anyone’s and everyone’s craft cocktail menu. And these recipes should quickly become a part of the entertaining you do at home.
The genre is especially welcome now: With colder temperatures outside, your guests will feel grateful for the opportunity to be transported into the nostalgia of their past vacations in Maui and Bora Bora. Californians consider Polynesia as part of their Pacific milieu, so it’s no wonder that the first tiki hut opened in Los Angeles in the 1930s. But no matter where you live, you can enjoy the tropics in a glass. Strike that—not a glass. As we explore this list, you might just want to commit to a set of kitschy tiki mugs.
Here are five surefire cocktails that will make anyone feel like stepping into a grass skirt to enjoy with some of your favorite people.
The Zombie
First concocted on the West Coast, the Zombie solidified its iconic status when it was featured at the 1939 World’s fair in New York. It’s a crowd pleaser for its sweet-and-sour taste.
1 oz. Light rum
1 oz. Gold rum
1 oz. 151-proof dark rum (optional)
1 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz. passion fruit syrup
½ oz simple syrup
1 dash aromatic bittersfresh mint sprig, for garnish
Grab a cocktail shaker and pour the rums, pineapple and citrus juices, passion fruit syrup, simple syrup and aromatic bitters. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass over crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprig.
The Cabana Boy
There aren’t many adult beverages that contain both passionfruit nectar and Sandeman Don Fino sherry, so enjoy the novelty of this six-ingredient iteration of the super-fast Cabana Boy.
2 oz. Aged rum
1 oz. Sandeman Don Fino Superior Fino sherry
½ oz. Orgeat
1 ½ oz. Passionfruit nectar
Absinthe rinse on glass
Tarragon, for garnish
Combine all ingredients in no particular order. Garnish with tarragon. The Cabana Boy can be frozen (blended with ice) or shaken and served on the rocks.
The Painkiller
Created in the 1970s in Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, the aptly named cocktail — with Pusser’s rum as its anchor — is sweet enough for teetotalers.
2 oz. Pusser’s rum
4 oz. Pineapple juice
1 oz. Orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 oz. Cream of coconut
Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and pineapple wedge
Pour the rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and cream of coconut into a shaker with ice; shake vigorously but briefly to combine. Strain into a hurricane glass or snifter over crushed ice. Finish with freshly grated nutmeg, a pineapple wedge and a straw for an iconic tiki bar treat.
Cobra's Fang
This refreshing cocktail is a great conversation starter for your guests who haven’t heard of the mysterious (and lost) fassionola syrup — and a fine way to show off your bartending skills, because it requires a bit of finesse, with those dashes of liquor, bitters and grenadine.
½ oz. Dark Jamaican rum
½ oz. 151-proof demerara rum
½ oz. Lime juice, freshly squeezed
½ oz. orange juice, freshly squeezed
½ oz. Falernum
¼ oz. Fassionola syrup
1 dash grenadine
1 dash Herbsaint liqueur
1 dash angostura bitters
Garnish: Mint sprig
Garnish: Lime wheel
Throw all ingredients into a blender with 6 ounces of crushed ice and blend for five seconds. Pour into a highball glass or tall Tiki mug, which you should have by now if you’re a true tiki bar aficionado. Garnish with a mint leaf and a lime wheel.
Blue Hawaiian
Let the festivities begin! This frozen drink, a staple of tiki bars, is beloved both for its vivid color and the unmistakable taste of the islands.
2 ½ oz. Pineapple vodka
1 oz. Blue curaçao
1 oz. Coconut rum
½ oz. Amaretto
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
¼ cup agave nectar, simple syrup, or sugar
4 cups ice (if blending)
A very simple no-skill-required cocktail: just combine and blend or shake and strain over ice.Anyone who’s ever tried to pull off a themed party knows it can be tricky and embarrassing, but if you let these irresistible tiki cocktails carry the load, your guests will be seeing palm trees and bamboo stalks whether you decorate your bar or not.
