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The best mango cocktails to bring the tropics to your glass

Your drinks need more mango. These recipes will show you the way to tropical paradise.

Mark Stock
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Mango cut open.
Rizwan zaheer / Shutterstock

Mango season is here, which means it’s time to give your cocktails the tropical fruit treatment. The vibrant yellow stone fruit affords tons of flavor and works well with a number of spirits. Mango is also incredible refreshing sans booze in a mocktail or classic mango lassi.

While we often talk about mango, as in the flavors we’re reminded of when sipping an excellent Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, we don’t work directly with the fruit as much as we should. Those who live in sunny states like Florida, California, and Hawaii are fortunate enough to grow their own. But even if you reside elsewhere, mangos are pretty readily available, especially this time of year.

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Before we get started, you may need a refreshed on how to cut a mango. Now, without further ado, here are some mango cocktails (and regular mango drinks) to whip up as we glide from spring into summer, in style.

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Mango Peach Montenegro Spritz

Birdy's

Created at Birdy’s, a great NOLA bar, this spritz takes on the delicious and unique flavor of Amaro Montenegro.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces Amaro Montenegro
  • 1 ounce Malibu Mango Rum
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • 2 ounces peach mango soda

Method

  1. Prepare ingredients in a shaker.
  2. Fill a wine glass with ice.
  3. Pour in all of the ingredients and stir to combine.

Maui Wowie Slushie

Maui Wowie slushie.
Jakob Layman

While this drink tends to be batched out on a larger scale and mixed up in a slushie machine, you can create a smaller version at home with a blender. The recipe comes from Belles Beach House in Venice, California.

Ingredients

  • 1 part water
  • 1 part tequila blanco
  • 3/4 part mango syrup (equal parts Napa valley mango purée and simple syrup)
  • 3/4 part watermelon (equal parts fresh watermelon juice, strained, and sugar)
  • 3/4 part lime juice

Method

  1. Combine all in a slushie machine and mix.
  2. If using a blender, swap the water for 1 part ice.

Heliodor

The Heliodor cocktail.
Regent Phu Quoc

Traveling all the way from Vietnam, this cocktail was born at the Regent Phu Quoc hotel. The property is home to Bar Jade, a speakeasy that’s behind some glorious drinks, like this one.

Ingredients

  • 50 ml Sake Kagatobi Organic Junmai Infused Mango
  • 20 ml Suntory – Haku Vodka     
  • 20 ml Giffard Crème De Fruits De La Passion
  • 30 ml citric acid
  • 100 grams passion fruit
  • 50 grams dried mango
  • 2 grams edible flowers

Method

  1. Dry shake all ingredients and strain into a coupe glass.
  2. Garnish with dried mango slide and flowers.

Hot in Herre

Hot in Herre cocktail.
Madelynne Boykin

This recipe from YoCo Vodka is a nod to the Nelly song and adds some spice in the form of fresh peppers. The heat is rounded out by the cool flavors of the mango and ginger beer.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ouces YoCo Vodka
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce mango puree
  • 2-3 muddled fresh jalapeños
  • Ginger beer

Method

  1. Combine ingredients, muddle jalapeños, and build on ice.
  2. Top with ginger beer in a rocks glass.

Mango Basil Margarita

An ice-cold glass of Mango Basil Margarita on black table.
In Good Company Hospitality

This mango cocktail was born in NYC, the work of Will Benedetto at Refinery Rooftop.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Casamigos Tequila Blanco
  • 1 ounce mango basil puree*
  • 3/4 ounce lime juice
  • Tajin mix

Method

  1. Shake very hard with 5-6 ice cubes.
  2. No need to strain, just pour the entire contents of the shaker into a Tajin-rimmed rocks glass.

*Mango Basil Puree: Mix 2 ounces vodka, 1500 grams mango puree, 300 grams minced basil, and 400 grams agave.

Mango Lassi

A mango lassi.
Pixabay

When the heat is on, there’s nothing quite like a mango lassi. The Indian drink is healthy, goes great with spicy fare, and is relatively easy to make, as this Serious Eats recipe suggests.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups yogurt, not strained (32 ounces; 900g)
  • 2 1/2 cups  buttermilk
  • 2 1/2 cups unsweetened Kesar mango purée
  • 1/2 cup palm sugar syrup
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Method

  1. Mix together the yogurt, mango, buttermilk, palm sugar syrup, salt, and lime juice in a big mixing bowl.
  2. Pour over ice and serve.

By now, you may have a new appreciation for the mango. Keep things refreshing and tropical with the best tiki drinks. Remember to hydrate and embrace the season with some great summer microadventures.

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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…
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