Tiki culture has captivated the imaginations of cocktail enthusiasts for decades. With their kitschy glassware and lavish garnishes, these tropical libations have been transporting us to a land of sunny escapades and palm-fringed beaches since the 1930s. What started as a fascination with Polynesian culture and exotic escapism has sparked a second wave of modern tiki cocktails.
This recent resurgence honors the original flavors while incorporating contemporary techniques and artisanal ingredients, breathing new life into a nostalgic cocktail genre made famous so many years ago by such institutions as Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic’s. Celebrate the indelible charm of tiki culture with these five recipes.
Pool Siren
With its sweet and smoky notes, this boozy blend has all the creamy and aromatic
components necessary to elevate any pool day.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. smoked tea–infused Spring44 vodka (with Lapsang Souchong loose-leaf tea)
- ¼ oz. dry Curaçao
- ¼ oz. matcha syrup (matcha tea and simple syrup)
- ½ oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz. coconut cream
- 2 dashes cardamom bitters
- Matcha powder, toasted coconut, and kiwi slices for garnish
To make the infused vodka, steep 3 teaspoons of loose-leaf Lapsang Souchong tea in 6 ounces of hot water for 3 minutes. Drain the tea and transfer the wet leaves to a glass container and fill with a 750-milliliter bottle of vodka. Allow the tea to steep in the spirit for 7 minutes. Drain and discard the tea leaves, decant into a clean bottle, and store in a cool, dry place.
To make the matcha syrup, combine one part matcha tea and one part simple syrup. Shake to combine and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Add all ingredients to a blender with ice. Blend for 10 seconds and pour into your favorite vessel or coconut shell. Sprinkle with matcha powder and garnish with toasted coconut and kiwi slices.
Bird of Paradise
Originally served as a welcome drink at the Aviary Bar at the Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the half-century-old Jungle Bird tiki drink brings together the unexpected punch of Campari, rum, and pineapple. This riff replaces the rum with a bolder bourbon that is then softened with exotic notes of passion fruit.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Four Roses bourbon
- 1 ½ oz. fresh pineapple juice
- ¾ oz. Campari
- 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz. passion fruit syrup (passion fruit purée and simple syrup)
- Pineapple leaves for garnish
To make the passion fruit syrup, combine two parts passion fruit purée and one part simple syrup. Shake to combine and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Add all ingredients to a mixing tin, shake with ice, then fine-strain into a glass. Garnish with pineapple leaves.
Smoke and Mirrors
This smooth, luxurious drink combines the classic flavors of a piña colada with the richness of a smoked old-fashioned.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Pa’lante dark rum
- ½ oz. pineapple liqueur
- 3 dashes tiki bitters
- Large coconut water ice cube
- Sliced grapefruit for garnish
Fill an extra-large ice cube tray with coconut water and freeze overnight. Add all other ingredients to a mixing glass and stir over ice. Strain into a rocks glass and add one large coconut water ice cube. Smoke your glass and garnish with a slice
of grapefruit.
Passion and Sparks
Tropical juices, spicy shrub, ashen notes of mezcal, and the assertive taste of Oaxacan rum come together seamlessly in this refreshing concoction.
Red Layer Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Tso’ok Oaxacan rum
- ¼ oz. simple syrup
- 1 oz. raspberry juice
- ½ oz. fresh lime juice
Orange Layer Ingredients
- ½ oz. Cuentacuentos mezcal
- ½ oz. passion fruit liqueur
- ¾ oz. mango juice
- 1 dash habanero shrub
Fire Show Ingredients
- ½ oz. lemon extract
- Dry lime shell
- Sugar cube
- Ground cinnamon powder
Combine red layer ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass with pebbled ice. Repeat with the orange layer, topping the glass with extra pebbled ice and garnishing with a lime shell and a cherry.
For the fire show, add a sugar cube soaked in ½ oz. lemon extract to dry citrus shell (pulp removed) and light with a chef’s torch. Sprinkle ground cinnamon powder over the drink
for lively sparks.
Island Treasure
This communal play on a gimlet accentuates the bright notes of the juniper-forward Navy-strength gin.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 8 oz. Sipsmith V.J.O.P. gin or similar Navy-strength gin
- 1 oz. yuzu liqueur
- 2 oz. green tea syrup (green tea and simple syrup)
- 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 4 oz. pomegranate juice
- Lime zest, sliced dragon fruit, and edible flowers for garnish
To make the green tea syrup, combine one part green tea and one part simple syrup. Shake to combine and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Combine all ingredients in a container and stir to mix. Decant over ice into a tiki vessel or punch bowl of your choice. Serve with straws and garnish with freshly grated lime zest, slices of dragon fruit, and edible flowers.
Facebook Comments