There are two ways to take on winter. The first way is to lean in heavily and layer up in warm clothing and heavy coats. They can also drink hot cocktails and heavy, malty, high-alcohol beers when you’re warming up at home in front of a roaring fire. The other option is a strategic fight against everything about winter. These folks wear flip-flops to take out their trash, even in blizzard conditions, and opt for fruity, tropical drinks as a respite from the frigid weather outside. While we love a warm sweater, Hot Toddy, and barrel-aged beer, we’re also all for the latter.
What is a tropical cocktail?
The definition of a tropical cocktail is fairly straightforward. Often associated with Tiki-cocktail culture, tropical drinks are often rum-based, but can also be made with tequila, vodka, and other light spirits. Drinkers sip them to be transported to a tropical paradise (even in the middle of winter) thanks to ingredients like coconut, pineapple juice, orange, grenadine, and other sweet, fruity flavors. Many are also many with orgeat (an almond-like flavor) and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and more.
In my more than twenty years of writing about alcohol, I’ve had my fair share of winter tropical cocktails. I can tell you that the best thing about getting in on the tropical cocktail bandwagon is the fact that there are a lot to choose from. This includes well-known drinks such as the Mai Tai, Daiquiri, Mojito, and Painkiller, among others.
The best tropical cocktails for winter
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the appeal of boozy, fruity, tropical mixed drinks for a mid-winter respite, it’s time to find some to add to your home mixology repertoire. Below, you’ll find a list of our favorite tropical cocktails. As a bonus, you’ll find facts and histories about each, as well as ingredients and step-by-step instructions. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Daiquiri
Not to be confused with the more elaborate Frozen Daiquiri (or Strawberry Daiquiri), the classic Daiquiri couldn’t be simpler to make at home. Equal parts simple and delicious, this drink features white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. It’s believed that this iconic drink was first created in the mining town of Daiquiri, Cuba, in 1898. This is when an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox is believed to have made the first Daiquiri, mixing locally made rum after running out of his usual gin.
Ingredients:
2 ounces white rum
1 ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce simple syrup
Preparation: Add white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup to an ice-filled shaker. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled Coupe glass. Garnish with a lime twist.
Painkiller
With a name like Painkiller, you should be pretty sure this drink will help make the winter doldrums a little more palatable. Born in the Tiki craze of the 1970s, this drink of dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut, and a dash of grated nutmeg was created at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands. If you’re going to make it at home, you’d better use Pusser’s Rum because that’s what the official recipe calls for.
Ingredients:
2 ounces Pusser’s Dark Rum
4 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 ounce coconut cream
Grated nutmeg
Pineapple wedge garnish
Preparation: In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, add dark rum, pineapple juice, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and cream of coconut. Shake vigorously to combine and chill the ingredients. Strain into a Hurricane or Highball glass filled with ice. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Mai Tai
When you think of tropical cocktails, there’s a good chance your mind goes directly to the flavorful, fruity Mai Tai. It’s believed that the Mai Tai (like many famous Tiki drinks) was created by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron in Oakland, California, in 1944. The story goes that he crafted the drink for friends visiting from Tahiti, and the name comes from the Tahitian word for “excellence”. The classic Trader Vic’s recipe features white rum, dark rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, and fresh lime juice.
Ingredients:
1 ounce white rum
.5 ounces orange curaçao
.5 ounces orgeat
1 ounce fresh lime juice
Dark rum float
Sprig of mint
Lime wheel
Preparation: In an ice-filled shaker, add the white rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, and fresh lime juice. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into an ice-filled Rocks glass. Float dark rum on top. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime wheel.
Mojito
There are very few cocktails that bridge the simplicity-to-flavor ratio better than the timeless Mojito. Like with many classic drinks, the Cuban-born Mojito has a murky history. While its origin is unknown, its roots can be traced back to the 1500s. Regardless of who created it, this drink of white rum, mint leaves, white sugar, and soda water has stood the test of time.
Ingredients:
2 ounces white rum
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
8-10 mint leaves
Soda water topper
Lime wheel
Preparation: Add mint leaves, fresh lime juice, and granulated white sugar to a Highball glass. Lightly muddle everything together. Pour in the white rum. Add ice. Top with soda water and gently stir to combine. Garnish with a lime wheel.
