• JOURNALS
  • THE FOODIE FILES
  • DESTINATIONS
  • TRAVEL NEWS & INTERVIEWS

Logo

Navigation
  • JOURNALS
    • Pay It Forward
    • OVERNIGHT IN STYLE
    • Spa Corner
    • Travel Essentials
  • THE FOODIE FILES
  • DESTINATIONS
    • Asia
    • Canada
    • Central & South America
    • Caribbean
    • Europe
    • Mexico
    • United States
  • TRAVEL NEWS & INTERVIEWS

6 Cool Caribbean Cocktail Recipes to Bring the Islands to You This Winter

By Chris Ryall |
Caribbean DESTINATIONS FOOD
Share the love

Beach drink

Photo by Sandy Manoa on Unsplash

After months sequestered away due to COVID-19 and with Canadian weather reuniting with Old Man Winter, we yearn for the Caribbean’s blue skies, warm breezes, sandy beaches and luxury resorts. We patiently wait to sit by the pool or at the beach on a lounge chair sipping delicious, thirst-quenching Caribbean cocktails. But have you ever thought of recreating these favourite cocktail recipes at home?

Discover a bit of the history and culture behind these classic beverages, but be warned–just like the Caribbean, these cocktail recipes can be intoxicating.

If you can’t wait to fly off to the Caribbean, why not start by bringing the islands to you. Start dreaming about your next Caribbean holiday as you stir up these delicious and refreshing cocktail recipes.

Puerto Rico – Piña Colada

Piña Colada cocktail recipes

Piña Colada. Photo courtesy Discover Puerto Rico

The origins of Puerto Rico’s national drink may be in dispute, but the sinfully sweet and delicious taste of the Piña Colada certainly isn’t–International Piña Colada Day is celebrated every July 10. Some say the fruity cocktail dates back to an 18th century Puerto Rican pirate serving it to his crew, while modern lore dates it to between 1954 and 1963 in San Juan with three different San Juan bartenders all claiming its invention. No matter its origins, the sweet mix of coconut cream, pineapple juice, white rum and ice is the perfect libation for sitting seaside in a Puerto Rican hotel bar.

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml of coconut cream
  • 120 ml pineapple juice
  • 4 cubes of ice
  • 60 ml white rum
  • Cherries, pineapple wedges and whipped cream for toppings

Directions:

In a blender, mix coconut cream, pineapple juice, ice and rum until all ingredients are blended smoothly.  Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream then garnish with cherries and pineapple wedges.

Cuba – Mojito

Mojito cocktail recipes

Mojito. Photo courtesy Havana Club

Despite being stirred and not shaken, the mojito was the drink of choice for James Bond in the movie Die Another Day. Some claim the mojito was born as “El Draque” when explorer Sir Francis Drake came to Cuba. Others believe African slaves in the 1800s gave it its modern name while working the sugar cane fields before it became more popular with Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s sampling his share. In any event, the mojito has gained popularity well beyond Cuba’s shores with its five essential ingredients: white rum, soda water, lime juice, sugar and mint.

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • ½ lime
  • 2 sprigs of mint
  • 45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3 Años
  • 90 ml sparkling water
  • 3 ice cubes

Directions:

Mix sugar and squeezed lime juice with a spoon. Muddle the mint sprigs in the sugar and lime mixture. Mix again after adding Havana Club and ice cubes. Top up with sparkling water and garnish with a mint sprig. Salud!

Jamaica – Black Passion Rum Punch

Black Passion Rum Punch cocktail recipe

Black Passion Rum Punch. Photo courtesy Blackwell Rum

Rum and reggae are synonymous with Jamaica. Add in a luxury beach resort and you have the perfect blend to enjoy another Jamaican staple, rum punch. Appleton Estate is Jamaica’s oldest distillery dating back to 1749, just one of more than 100 rum distilleries in Jamaica by the late 19th century. With scarce clean water resources at the time, rum was mixed with fresh fruit juices such as pineapple, orange and lime and rum punch was born. Blackwell Fine Jamaican Rum, a dark rum that packs a liquid punch from an old family recipe, is one of the more popular rums today. It’s owned by Chris Blackwell, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and owner of Ian Fleming’s former residence, GoldenEye.

Ingredients:

  • 2 parts Blackwell Fine Jamaican Rum (or similar dark rum)
  • 2 parts fresh orange juice
  • 1 part Passion fruit puree
  • Slice of fresh orange for garnish

Directions:

Combine rum, orange juice and passion fruit puree in a punch bowl and allow ingredients to sit for at least one hour (more for optimal flavour).  Serve over ice with a fresh slice of citrus fruit.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) – Painkiller

BVI Painkiller cocktail recipe

BVI Painkiller. Photo courtesy Pussers

As the name implies, this cocktail is not only a painkiller but a Caribbean drink guaranteed to go down smooth and easy–and more pleasurable than popping a pill. Unlike more traditional Caribbean cocktails, the Painkiller was only invented in 1970 by Daphne Henderson of the Soggy Dollar Beach Bar located in White Harbour. The Painkiller can be described as a Piña Colada without the work (no blender required) consisting of rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut and grated nutmeg. Drink a couple of these cocktails and you will have a pain-free Caribbean holiday.

Ingredients:

  • 60 ml Pusser’s Rum
  • 120 ml pineapple juice
  • 30 ml orange juice
  • 30 ml cream of coconut
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • Cherry and orange slice for garnish

Directions:

Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.  Pour in a large glass or goblet filled with ice.  Grate fresh nutmeg on top.  Garnish with orange slice and cherry.

Bermuda – Dark ‘n Stormy

Dark 'n Stormy cocktail recipes

Dark ‘n Stormy. Photo courtesy Goslings

It seems fitting Bermuda’s national cocktail would be called Dark ‘n Stormy, perhaps because of the mysterious disappearances of ships and planes in the so-called Bermuda Triangle? Not so. Instead, ginger beer was poured in a glass and then a splash of Goslings Black Seal Rum was added and floated on top. Due to its cloudy colour, an old salt remarked the drink was the “colour of a cloud only a fool or dead man would sail under.” Dark ‘n Stormy is a trademarked cocktail to protect the drink’s consistency using Goslings Black Seal Rum, Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer, a lime wedge and ice. Drink enough and stormy seas might be ahead.

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer
  • 5 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum
  • Lime for garnish
  • Ice cubes

Directions:

Fill glass with ice.  Add Goslings Ginger Beer.  Float Goslings Black Seal Rum on top.  Garnish with a splash of lime and a lime wedge or wheel. Stir up a storm!

Bahamas – Bahama Mama

Bahama Mama cocktail recipe

Bahama Mama. Photo courtesy Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Aviation

Bahama Mama is a tropical libation created in the Bahamas and believed by some to be named after a famed 1930s Caribbean dancer, Dottie Lee Anderson, whose stage name was Bahama Mama. Not so fast says Nassau Beach Hotel bartender Oswald Greenslade who proclaimed he invented the cocktail. The colourful drink’s original recipe contained coffee liqueur, but now many versions come down to a few key ingredients: dark rum, 151 proof rum, Kahlua or coffee liqueur, coconut liqueur, pineapple juice, half a lemon and fruit garnish.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ oz of Kahlua
  • ½ oz of dark rum
  • ½ oz of coconut liqueur
  • ¼ oz of 151 proof rum
  • 4 oz of pineapple juice
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Cherry or strawberry for garnish

Directions:

Fill a Collins-type glass with cracked ice.  Pour all ingredients in and stir.  Garnish with a strawberry or cherry. Optional – may add Grenadine for different colouring.

We hope these cocktail recipes bring you a bit of island excitement over the winter as you get ready for next year’s travel plans. Which of these cocktail recipes is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking for some more travel-inspired recipes to bring to your table this season? Check out A Taste For Travel: Inspiring Recipes From Around the World

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
Chris Ryall
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profile

Chris Ryall

Chris loves to discover a destination's true character and charm. “Be a Local” is his passion and reason for travel – eat local, drink local and do a deep dive into the local culture. Chris has visited 80+ countries on six continents the past 25 years while observing, writing and photographing for many national print and online publications. A passion for animals, natural attractions, ethnic cuisine, local characters engage Chris. He has a special interest in spa/wellness and has visited hundreds of spas around the world, judges spas internationally, and experienced almost every imaginable treatment. Chris has an insatiable appetite for wellness, culture and people who make a difference in their community.
Chris Ryall
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profile

Latest posts by Chris Ryall (see all)

  • Have Pod, Will Travel Safely: 4 Fun & Unique Ways to Vacation With Your Travel Pod - April 2, 2021
  • 6 Cool Caribbean Cocktail Recipes to Bring the Islands to You This Winter - December 22, 2020
  • Ask the Concierge: Marc-André Blais of Manoir Hovey in Quebec tells us about this award-winning hotel and what not to miss in the area - November 3, 2020
  • 4 Unique Hotels Around the World Where Stargazing Takes Centre Stage - June 9, 2020
  • 5 Weird Museums That Celebrate Everything From Selfies to Cup Noodles - February 4, 2020

Share the love

Tags: Caribbeancocktail recipes

Recent Posts

  • Editor’s Picks: Seasonal Must-Haves for Your Travel-Inspired Gift Giving

    December 18, 2022 - 0 Comment
  • Finding Romance in the Bahamas

    December 10, 2022 - 0 Comment
  • Falling in Love with Loreto

    December 8, 2022 - 0 Comment

Related Posts

  • Caribbean Bucket List: 5 Beyond-the-Ordinary Island Destinations

    April 10, 2021 - 0 Comment
  • Cruises Not Your Cup of Tea? Try a Chartered Caribbean Sailing Yacht Instead

    January 13, 2020 - 0 Comment

No Responses to “6 Cool Caribbean Cocktail Recipes to Bring the Islands to You This Winter”

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


*
*

Travel Life Magazine Subscription

Check out your complimentary copy, or request a digital subscription of Travel Life today!

SUBSCRIBE

 

travel recipes

Can’t get out to see the world? Why not bring the world to you?

Click here to check out our travel recipe of the week:

Scottsdale Crispy Pork Shank

 

More World Recipes:

New Zealand Mainland Southland Cheese Rolls
Tahiti poisson cru
Hawaii Mai Tai
Hawaii Mai Tai
Montelucia Sangria Omni Resorts
Tampa Columbia Restaurant Cuban Sandwich
Pensacola Grits a Ya Ya from The Fish House
North Carolina sticky fried rice
Two Bros BBQ Market baby back ribs
Lisa Dahl Mashed Potatoes
Lisa Dahl Gnocchi Con Funghi E Tartufi
Colombia Ground Beef Caramanola
Ireland Cheese and Scallion Bread Bakehouse
Doubletree Blue Colada
Real Maryland Crab Cakes Faidley Seafood
Tuolumne County California Apple Cider Waffles
Maryland Smith Island Cake
Scottsdale Crispy Pork Shank
Norman Love Mini Chocolate Raspberry Verrine
Miami Little Havana Cuban Coffee
Mexico Grand Velas Resorts Jicama Taquitos
Haines City Grapefruit Pie, Lang's Taste of Florida Cafe
France Tarte aux Pommes
France Farçous
France Asparagus Risotto
Florida Keys Key Lime Pie
Bermuda Fish Sandwich
Belize Fry Jacks
Barbados Rum Punch
Arizona Lisa Dahl Crostini
previous arrow
next arrow
previous arrownext arrow
Slider


MOST POPULAR VIDEOS


Click here to check out more
Stylish Staycations.

Follow Travel Life

Follow Travel Life

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2012 travellife.ca. All Rights Reserved.