In the world of mixology, Tropical Cocktails hold a high position indeed. From the Grand Daddy of Tequila drinks, The Margarita, to the long list of classic Tiki Bar drinks, we will try to shed some light on the subject. The tropics have long been a rich source of adventure and travel, not to mention a fair amount of intrigue. So lets look at a range of great Tropical Cocktails that, no matter where you are, will take you to the tropics.

Rum, the cornerstone of Tropical Cocktails.

Originated in the heady days of colonization and piracy in the Caribbean, Rum is easily the most used alcohol in Tropical Cocktails. Made from sugar cane and in an extremely wide range of styles and flavors. Rum is distilled across the world but the Caribbean will always be the epicenter of the worlds best rum. From the simple and extremely common Cuba Libra to more complex and elaborate Tiki Bar classics like the Zombie or the Mai Tai. The sun never setting on the British empire helped spread rum and drinks like the Singapore Sling and Navy Grog.

Tequila Mexico’s contribution to culture

Distilled from the Agave plant, Tequila was long maligned by Americans who’s only experience with it was chugging cheap, rock gut. Luckily the joys of good, really good Tequila are now wide spread.  Without question,  the Margarita is the most popular use of Tequila in Tropical Cocktails. Made popular by the Eagles’s hit, The Tequila Sunrise is another popular use of Tequila as is the Guadalajara Silver. All of this said the best way to enjoy a good Tequila is to do shots of it, But please be sure to only use good Tequila.

Local Caribbean favorites

Many of the islands that dot the Caribbean feature their own locally made drinks. Usually made from local ingredients, each of these libations are a wonderful example of the people and culture of their respective islands. One of our favorite is the amazingly delicious Ma DouDou, a flavored rum that is made with loving care on its home island of St. Martin. Ma DouDou comes in a wide range of flavors and is a favorite of anyone who visits St. martin. A similar story is told by Bonaire’s local drink, Cadushi. Distilled from a local cactus, Cadushi is a light, relatively low alcohol liqueur that is perfect to enjoy with the locals after a long day of diving.

Sangria, another tropical favorite.

The art of mixing wine, various fruits, liqueur etc… is commonly known as Sangria. when relaxing with friends on warm sultry tropical night, there is no more refreshing and relaxing thing than a pitcher of Sangria. The possible combinations that can go into that pitcher is almost endless. Red wine, white wine, sparkling, rose and then mix in your favorite fruits and most anything else. In Tampa, the famous Columbia Restaurant  has a great recipe for Cava Sangria. Another one of our favorite Sangrias is Grapefruit Sangria , but try making your own, and let us know how it goes.

Classic Tiki Bar Culture

One aspect tropical cocktails that is making a real comeback is Tiki Culture. The world of Tiki goes far beyond hula girls and umbrellas in your fruity drink. The vision of old salty sailors sitting at the bar, telling tall tails while swilling stiff rum laden drinks is iconic. What was lost in the mists of time is that those rum laden drinks were really, really good. It was forgotten   mostly because a bunch of brainless, tasteless cocktail heathens started taking shortcuts and cutting corners. After a while, most anything with rum in it that was brightly colored and sickeningly sweet was given the name of a Tiki Bar Classic. The world of Tiki Bar Cocktails is filled with so much lore and some many tall tales that you can’t help but get sucked up into the mystique. Getting past the modern travesties of fake Tiki Bar recipes isn’t always that easy. The original recipes were often well guarded secrets and to make matters worse, some of the original ingredients are no longer available. Anyone who really enjoys a well crafted cocktail owes it to themselves to explore the world of Classic Tiki Bar cocktails. The fun of trying to find the Orgeat that is a must for a Classic Mai Tai or searching at your local liquor store for Cherry Heering so you can make a Singapore Sling taste right.

Now let’s talk a little about accessories. In many of the original venues of Tiki Culture, the little things helped form the magic of the experience. When ordering a Fog Cutterfrom, Oh let’s say Trader Vic’s back in the day, you delicious drink would have been served in an amazingly cool Tiki Mug. These classic tiki nic-nacs that went from cool to tackie and now to uber cool are critical for the Tiki experience. You can start with a nice set of tiki mugs or even go small with a cute set of little umbrellas to go in your drinks and as always… remember, the Garnish is pretty important.So enjoy a classic Tiki Bar Cocktail in a classic…ah reproduction classic drinking vessel.

Tropical Cocktails made easy

The range of drinks that will ease your day and help you escape into your very own tropical paradise is endless. The one thing we recommend is don’t be lazy, keep experimenting and try them all… what could go wrong?