Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

9 of the Best Caribbean Cocktails Inspired by The Bahamas

Mark Stock
By

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.

Big Major Smash

Big Major Smash cocktails on tray.

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.

Related

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.

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.

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.

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.

(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.

(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.

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.

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
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…
Learn how to master the Coquito cocktail with these great recipes
Want to drink like they do in Puerto Rico? Mix up a Coquito, or little coconut, with these great recipes
Coquito Cocktail

In Puerto Rico, the Coquito reigns supreme. The cocktail, which translates to little coconut, is a go-to around the holidays but delicious all year long. It's an ideal drink for rum, rich, tropical, and inherently festive.

Yes, it's a major deal come Christmastime. But really, this sweet and creamy drink is great anytime you feel like dessert in a glass, whether it's as a great nightcap drink or post-meal dessert sipper. Simply put, if you gravitate towards eggnog, you're going to fall for this Puerto Rican classic.

Read more
The 10 best sweet treats for your Valentine’s Day celebration
These desserts are perfect for sharing with your Valentine
Inside Out Red Velvet Cookies

Some folks love Valentine's Day, spending the day with your special someone, fully embracing the hearts and flowers of it all. Others take great pride in declaring it a commercial greeting card holiday, and rebelling against the societal pressures set upon them. But no matter how you look at the day, it has one benefit for all: it's an excuse to make really good desserts. These 10 Valentine's Day dessert recipes range from entry-level to expert offering sugary bliss to cooks and bakers of any level. They also vary in prep and cook time, so no matter how busy you are you'll be able to whip one of these up no problem.

These Valentine's Day desserts would be great after a delicious Valentine's Day dinner or while watching a Valentine's Day movie.
Related Guides

Read more
There’s a big sale on Vitamix blenders happening right now
Vitamix Ascent 2300 Series blender in use

Blenders are incredibly versatile appliances both in the kitchen, and out. You can use them to mix and mash ingredients for juices, smoothies, meals, and well beyond. Blender recipes When it comes to cost, they're all over the place, as some are cheap and affordable, while others are more expensive. Luckily, there are usually a ton of great blender deals available, chief among them some excellent Vitamix blender deals, which frankly, is one of the best brands out there in the space.

Wouldn't you know it, Best Buy has some incredible offers available right now on Vitamix blenders, so now's a good time to snag one if you've been waiting. Heck, even if you haven't been waiting for a good blender deal, it's still a great time to take advantage. You can check out those deals below, as we've done all the research and rounded up the best offers for you in one convenient place.
Vitamix Immersion Blender -- $125, was $150

Read more