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9 of the Best Caribbean Cocktails Inspired by The Bahamas

Mark Stock
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The Bahamas are sounding pretty good right about now. Between the time change and the incessant darkness, not to mention the cold, in so many places, trek to the Caribbean country sounds extra enticing. For those simply looking to take a bit of the Bahamas and pour it into their favorite glass, these Caribbean cocktails will do the trick.

We can’t promise you’ll feel exactly like you would if you were floating in the above channel somewhere in The Exumas. However, after one (or three, it’s vacation somewhere) of these drinks, you’ll be feeling pretty close.

Here are nine excellent cocktails inspired by the Bahamas.

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Big Major Smash

Big Major Smash cocktails on tray.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This sunny cocktail delivers an excellent mix of rums and ripe tropical fruit flavors. If you have a pig-shaped vessel of presentation points, obviously use it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Coconut Cartel Special
  • 1 oz Plantation Xamayca Rum
  • .25 oz Plantation OTFD Rum
  • .5 oz Giffard Banane du Brasil
  • 1.5 oz pineapple juice
  • 2 oz fresh orange juice

Method:

  1. Build all ingredients in a goblet with crushed ice and swizzle.
  2. Garnish with flowers.

Cocolada

Cocolada cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This clever Piña Colada recipe incorporates coconut sake in place of rum, for a nice and playful change of pace.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Tyku Coconut Sake
  • 1.5 oz pineapple juice
  • squeeze of lime
  • orange half moon garnish

Method:

  1. Fill a rocks glass with ice, pour sake over ice, and top with pineapple juice.
  2. Add a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with an orange slice.

Black and Yellow

Black and Yellow cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What’s black and yellow and delicious? This banana-driven cocktail, enlivened by caffeine, makes for a fine coffee cocktail.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz  Absolut Elyx
  • 1 oz banana liqueur
  • 1 oz espresso

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin over cubed ice.
  2. Shake then strain into a chilled copper coupe and garnish with dried banana chips.

IYLPC

IYLPC cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Acronym for If You Like Pina Coladas, this drink is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a great use sherry and adds a bit of a kick thanks to the ginger beer.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Absolut Elyx
  • .5 oz fino sherry
  • .5 oz coconut syrup
  • .5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 oz ginger beer
  • 3 pineapple chunks

Method:

  1. Add pineapple chunks to a copper mule cup and crush with a muddler or rolling pin to release the juice.
  2. Add cubed ice and the other ingredients, stir to combine, then top with crushed ice and garnish with pineapple leaves and a cherry.

Tiramisu Tini

Tiramisu Tini cocktail.
Shannon Patrick

(Created by Tony Roehr, Raised By Wolves, San Diego)

This one brings a little of Italy to the Caribbean, mimicking the coffee-flavored dessert from the old country.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liquor
  • 1 oz Diplomatico Exclusiva Reserva Rum
  • .25 oz cinnamon syrup
  • .5 oz Aquavit

Method:

  1. Shake with ice.
  2. Strain into a coupe.
  3. Top with hand-whipped cream float.
  4. Garnish with cocoa powder.

Pour and Restore

Pour and Restore cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

(Created by Cat Sutherland, Ghost Donkey)

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz cucumber syrup
  • .75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • top with Remedy Ginger Beer
  • 2 dashes celery bitters

Method:

  1. Build all the ingredients over ice, stir gently, top with mint sprig and candied ginger.

Memory Lane

Memory Lane cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

(Created by Geordie’s Restaurant at Wrigley Mansion)

This wintertime beach sipper relies on Fantasia Punch as well as a nutty backbone and the brightness of the citrus and flavored gin.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin
  • .75 oz Liquid Alchemist Coconut Syrup
  • .75 oz fresh lime juice
  • .5 oz Varnelli Fantasia Punch
  • .5 oz agave syrup
  • 1 dash coffee bitters
  • 1 dash black walnut bitters

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake, strain into highball glass, add ice, and garnish with cherry, dehydrated lime wheel, and mint.

Hibiscus Margarita

Hibiscus Margarita.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This Marg recipe calls up hibiscus and its powerful flavor and color-brining abilities.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz El Tequileño Platinum
  • 2 oz sweetened hibiscus juice
  • .5 oz fresh lime juice
  • .5 oz agave syrup

Method:

  1. Add all ingredients to a shaker over cubed ice.
  2. Shake until ice cold.
  3. Strain into a rocks glass over cubed ice, and garnish with dehydrated lime wheel and hibiscus flower.

Seabird

Seabird cocktail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A simple yet refined drink, the Seabird incorporates aromatic gin, punchy grapefruit, and the subtle richness of agave.

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz Start Point Gin
  • 4 oz fresh red grapefruit juice
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 1 oz agave syrup

Method:

  1. Prepare your garnish before juicing the red grapefruit.
  2. Add the gin, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave syrup to a Boston shaker filled with plenty of ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
  3. Double strain into two chilled Nick & Nora glasses.
  4. Garnish with red grapefruit peel on the side of the glass.

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Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since. He spent years making, selling, and sipping Pinot Noir in the Dundee Hills before a full return to his journalistic roots in 2016. He's helplessly tied to European soccer, casting for trout, and grunge rock. In addition to The Manual, he writes for SevenFifty Daily, Sip Northwest, The Somm Journal, The Drake, Willamette Week, Travel Oregon, and more. He has a website and occasionally even updates it: markastock.com.

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