When Jeffrey Ong first crafted his Jungle Bird cocktail, he probably had no idea what he was about to start. 

Initially served in a hotel bar in Malaysia, the cocktail became an influential element of the second, more sophisticated wave of Tiki cocktails. 

Looking at the ingredients, it is clear that the drink has everything a Tiki cocktail needs - Rum, lime juice, and some sugar. 

However, around the time the Jungle Bird was invented, one would have had a hard time finding another Tiki drink featuring a bittersweet component. But that is just what the herbal liqueur Campari is.

So let's see who came up with the idea for the Jungle Bird and how it bridged the first and second waves of Tiki cocktails.

Ingredients for a Jungle Bird cocktail

The Jungle Bird is a beautifully balanced cocktail featuring aromatic dark Rum, pineapple juice, lime, demerara syrup, and Campari whose bright red is responsible for the Jungle Bird's color.

Rum in the Jungle Bird

The original recipe for making a Jungle Bird doesn't ask for a specific type of Rum. Also, in John Poister's recipe from 1989, you'll only read "Dark Rum" in the instructions for the Jungle Bird. 

Nonetheless, in most cases, bartenders opt for a Blackstrap Rum. That is a richer, darker, and more aromatic dark Rum. And Jeff Berry created his own variation in his 2002 Intoxica, featuring Jamaican Rum.

Juices

As so often, the juices from pineapple and lime should ideally be freshly squeezed. The freshness of those two will work perfectly with the bitter and sweet herbal notes from Campari. 

Campari

Maybe you know the typical taste of Campari from other cocktails like the Negroni or Boulevardier. The two classics are fantastic representatives of cocktails with that herbal bitterness. 

This bitterness is less pronounced in the Jungle Bird cocktail, but it still adds a unique layer to the drink that makes it so special.

Syrup

The last part is Demerara syrup. A rich and flavorful sugar syrup, often used in Rum cocktails. If you want to make it at home or perhaps never have heard of it, take a look at our recipe to make Demerara syrup at home.

History of the Jungle Bird cocktail

Jeffrey Ong Swee Teik first served the Jungle Bird cocktail during the 1970s in the Hilton hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The drink was served in 1973 when the hotel opened its doors. Also, the name of the cocktail was inspired by the name of the hotel's bar - the aviary.

And the bird theme really was taken seriously. For a few years, the bar served the Jungle Bird in a ceramic bird-shaped vessel. That changed a while later into a wine goblet with an engraved bird. -Too many guests had decided that the bird would make a nice little souvenir.

More than a decade later, in 1989, the cocktail was published for the first time in written form. John J. Poister included the recipe in his book "The New American Bartender's Guide". 

Jungle Bird Cocktail

Eventually, in 2002, Jeff "Beachbum" Berry printed a slightly tweaked recipe in his influential Tiki cocktail book "Intoxica". And presumably, it was Beachbum Berry who helped the drink to gain international recognition.

Now, not only Malaysians had been familiar with the unconventional Tiki drink Jeffrey Ong created, but also people everywhere in the world. What's more, the tropical name of the drink even inspired some newer establishments in New York and Sacramento.

Over time, the drink has been updated and optimized. In this particular case, that meant that the amount of pineapple juice was reduced a little. Plus, a preferred type of Rum (Blackstrap Rum) got established.

So, time to get your shaker out and mix the perfect Jungle Bird Cocktail.

Jungle Bird cocktail with Pineapple

Jungle Bird

An exotic Tiki drink based on Rum, Campari, lime, and pineapple.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Campari, rum
Servings: 1
Calories: 222kcal
Cost: $2.10

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Blackstrap Rum
  • 0.5 oz Campari
  • 1.5 oz Pineapple juice
  • 0.5 oz Lime juice
  • 0.5 oz Demerara syrup

Instructions

  • Fill an old fashioned glass with crushed ice and set it aside.
  • Add all ingredients into your cocktail shaker with ice and shake until the drink is well-chilled.
    1.5 oz Blackstrap Rum, 0.5 oz Campari, 1.5 oz Pineapple juice, 0.5 oz Lime juice, 0.5 oz Demerara syrup
  • Strain over crushed ice and serve with a pineapple slice as garnish.

Nutrition

Serving: 4.75ozCalories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 29.95gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 36mgSugar: 28.3gVitamin C: 12.5mgCalcium: 14.5mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Mixing Cocktails on Christmas Eve became somewhat of a tradition in our family. If you, too, want to shake up some drinks this year and perhaps start a new tradition, you've come to the right place.

This list of our favorite Christmas Cocktails holds something for everyone: Dessert cocktails with traditional Christmas flavors and spices and fruity classics with a festive twist. So get your shaker ready to mix some fabulous Christmas cocktails.

1. Flip that Cobbler

The Flip that Cobbler is a beautiful creation by Matthias Soberon (@servedbysoberon) for the festive season. It combines two classics, the Flip and the Cobbler - the clue is pretty much in the title. Egg yolk, which usually is imperative in Flips, is added via the medium of Dutch Advocaat.

And in cobbler-style, you serve this Christmas Cocktail in a goblet with heaps of crushed ice and a straw.

Flip that Cobbler Christmas drink

Ingredients

1.5 oz The Dutch Advocaat
1.5 oz medium-dry Madeira
0.33 oz nut liqueur
two dashes of nut bitters
nuts for garnish

Add all ingredients into your cocktail shaker and shake with plenty of ice cubes. Then strain in your glass over crushed ice. Now garnish with the nuts and serve with a reusable straw.

2. Christmas Rye Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned cocktail does a brilliant job of highlighting a quality spirit. The classic recipe only calls for sugar or syrup and a dash of bitters to enhance the taste of your base spirit. 

With our festive Rye Old Fashioned, you add some flavor in form of homemade cranberry syrup

Christmas Rye Old Fashioned

Ingredients

2 oz Rye Whiskey
0.75 oz Homemade Cranberry syrup
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
3-5 Fresh cranberries
Sugared cranberries (garnish)
Sugar for rim (optional)

Rim a chilled Old Fashioned glass with sugar and set it aside. Add the fresh cranberries into your mixing glass and gently crush or muddle them.

Then add Rye Whiskey, cranberry syrup, Angostura bitters, and ice. Stir the drink until it's well-chilled and strain it over ice into the prepared glass.

For a festive touch, garnish the drink with sugared cranberries skewered on a cocktail pick.

3. Negroni Sour

A good Negroni is a fantastic way to counterbalance a lavish Dinner on Christmas Eve. 

The Negroni Sour from @supreme_chef is a little less bitter than a regular Negroni, making it super approachable and easy to drink. The chamomile aroma from the Gin also adds a nice twist.

Negroni Sour cocktail

Ingredients

1.5 oz chamomile-infused Gin
1.5 oz Campari
1.5 oz Sweet White Vermouth
1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
0.5 oz orange-infused syrup
Orange peel for garnish
one egg-white for the foam

To infuse Gin with chamomile, pour a more neutral Gin (e.g., Beefeater) into a glass, add a bag of chamomile tea, and let it sit for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the individual taste.

Add all ingredients into your shaker, including the egg white, and dry shake (no ice yet) for at least 15sec. Then add the ice and shake again until your shaker feels ice cold.

If you prefer to leave the egg white off, add all ingredients plus the ice into your shaker, and shake until the contents are well chilled.

Then strain over ice into your glass and garnish with an orange peel.

4. Mezcal Hot Chocolate

If you're looking for a hot drink instead, this Hot Christmas Mezcal cocktail is the perfect fit.

It is based on homemade hot chocolate and spiked with Mezcal, coffee liqueur, and chocolate liqueur. A rich and creamy drink topped with heavy cream and garnished with grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Hot Christmas Mezcal cocktail with chocolate

Ingredients

1 oz Mezcal Joven
1 oz Dark chocolate & salt liqueur
0.5 oz Coffee liqueur
3 dashes Orange bitters
4 oz Hot chocolate
0.75 oz Heavy cream

Make hot chocolate by slowly heating up milk (4 oz) and dark chocolate (3 tbs). You can find more detailed instructions in the Mezcal Hot Chocolate Recipe.

Then pour Mezcal, the liqueurs, and the orange bitters into your glass and stir until combined. Add the hot chocolate and stir again before topping the cocktail with heavy cream. 

For the final touches, sprinkle it with grated nutmeg and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

5. The Black Brew

The Black Brew from Georgi (@justshakeorstir) is a chocolaty, cozy, yet elegant winter drink. The flavor combination of nuts, chocolate, and coffee is classic. Mixing that with Bourbon makes for a gorgeous Christmas Cocktail. 

The Black Brew is perfect after dinner on Christmas Eve, but the flavors also work fantastic on a festive family afternoon. Drink it with some biscuits at tea time, put Jingle Bells on, lean back, and enjoy.

Black Brew festive cocktail

Ingredients

2 oz Coffee Liqueur
0.75 oz Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur
0.75 oz Frangelico Liqueur
0.75 oz Bourbon
2 oz Espresso
Chocolate Wafer Roll for Garnish

Add all the ingredients together with lots of ice to your shaker. Shake until the cocktail shaker feels well chilled, then double strain into your glass.

For the final touch, garnish the drink with the chocolate wafer roll.

6. Christmas Rum Sour

Our Christmas Rum Sour is a fabulous cocktail for everyone who loves a classic Sour. 

The flavors of Rum and lemon are still very pronounced, but the festive twist is the star of the show. It's a float of mulled wine that carries subtle notes of cinnamon, anise, and cloves. 

The egg white gives some texture and makes this version of a Rum Sour a perfect Christmas delight.

Christmas Rum Sour cocktail

Ingredients

2 oz Havana Club Añejo Especial
0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
1 oz homemade Christmas syrup
one egg white
Cinnamon stick, dried orange wheel, and star anise for garnish

Put all ingredients, including the egg white, in your shaker and dry shake (no ice) for 15 seconds. Make sure to close the shaker tightly as, without ice, it could pop open. Then, add ice and shake again.

Now, strain the cocktail over ice into the chilled glass, and garnish it with a cinnamon stick, star anise, and dried orange.

7. Trumpet of Joy

The Trumpet of Joy by Micky (@veermasterberlin) features many of our favorite Christmas flavors: cinnamon, ginger, apple, and vanilla. And they work together beautifully. 

It's a unique combination of flavors in cocktails, but it is absolutely delicious and surely a drink your guests will remember.

Trumpet of Joy Cocktail

Ingredients

1.5 oz Rum (Wood Stork Spiced Rum)
0.75 oz Hibiscus Cinnamon syrup
0.33 oz Ginger infused Aperol
0.5 oz Apple Vanilla liqueur
0.75 oz fresh Lime juice
2-3 drops Angostura Bitters
one egg white
edible flowers for garnish

Put all the ingredients in your cocktail shaker and dry shake (no ice yet). Make sure to close the shaker tightly. After about 15 seconds, add ice and shake again. 

Double-strain the drink into your cocktail glass and garnish with edible flowers

For making the Hibiscus Cinnamon Syrup, you can use our hibiscus syrup recipe and add two cinnamon sticks per cup of water. 

8. Delight of the night

The Delight of the Night by Joshua (@a_few_drinks_behind) perfectly combines the smooth notes of Bourbon with the sweet and spicy flavors of homemade coffee syrup and chai tea.

The cocktail consists of only three ingredients, and each must be homemade. So it comes with lots of love but requires a bit of prep time - however, that can be done the day before your Christmas party.

Delight of the night cocktail

Ingredients

2 oz Toasted Marshmallow infused Bourbon
2.5 oz Chai Tea Half n Half
0.75 oz Cold Brew Brown Sugar Syrup
Toasted Marshmallows for garnish

To infuse the Bourbon, fill a 16oz (500ml) canning jar halfway with toasted marshmallows, then fill it 3/4 up with Bourbon. Seal it airtight and let it sit at 130°F (50°C) for about an hour until the marshmallows fully dissolve.

Then, double-strain the mix into a freezer-safe vessel, let it cool down, and strain again.

For the chai half and half, let two bags of chai tea sit overnight in 8oz (250ml) half n half. -it should be about 8h.

To make the cold brew syrup, use equal parts cold brew concentrate and brown sugar. Heat the mix until the sugar is fully dissolved, then double-strain into a glass or bottle.

More Christmas cocktail inspiration

Champagne is an exquisite and costly ingredient. A luxurious sip that doesn't need any other ingredients to shine. Then again, champagne works amazingly well in mixed drinks. Combined with fruity, sweet, and sometimes fresh flavors, it can lift your cocktails and confer class.

In the Champagne Cocktail, however, it is the other way around. All the ingredients are composed to complement and enhance the experience of the exquisite sparkling wine.

Quick Facts Champagne Cocktail

Due to the simplicity end elegance of the drink, it's a perfect choice to serve on New Year's Eve or other festive events.

Champagne cocktail with lemon peel garnish

Champagne Cocktail Recipe

An elegant cocktail based on Champagne. A perfect choice for having at NYE.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Champagne, Cognac
Servings: 1
Calories: 283kcal
Cost: $7.20

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger

Ingredients

  • 3.5 oz Brut Champagne
  • 1 oz Cognac
  • 3 dash Angostura bitters
  • 1 Sugar cube
  • Lemon peel - (garnish)

Instructions

  • Coat and soak the sugar cube with Angostura bitters and drop it into a chilled Champagne flute.
    3 dash Angostura bitters, 1 Sugar cube
  • Pour chilled Cognac over the soaked cube.
    1 oz Cognac
  • Then top with Brut Champagne and garnish with lemon peel.
    Lemon peel, 3.5 oz Brut Champagne

Nutrition

Serving: 5.75ozCalories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 10.52gSodium: 1.16mgSugar: 10.52g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Does it Have to be Champagne?

No, you don't need to spend a fortune on a bottle of actual champagne for this cocktail. There are plenty of high-quality alternatives these days that are more affordable. 

You can go for an Italian Prosecco spumante (the one with more carbonation), a Spanish Cava, or a German Sekt. What you should keep in mind, though, is to pick a bubbly low in sugar.

Due to historical reasons, the terms here are a little misleading: dry on the bottle indicates a relatively high sugar content. Extra dry is better, and brut is best for this drink. -Extra brut usually is too sour for people not used to it.

Which Cognac for the Champagne Cocktail?

The cognac you use for the Champagne Cocktail should definitely be of good quality. Champagne is a costly and delicate ingredient, and you don't want to spoil that.

On the other hand, premium Cognac would be wasted in a mixed drink. Thus, I like to go with a decent and versatile mid-shelf option, like the Hennessy V.S. or V.S.O.P., or one from Remy Martin.

Even if you opt for another, less pricey sparkling wine than champagne, the cognac still should be able to enhance the taste.

Champagne Cocktail with Cognac

Expert Tips

Unlike many other cocktails that need to be shaken or stirred, you can simply assemble the Champagne Cocktail in a champagne flute. The first step is to coat your sugar cube with Angostura bitters

Then drop the soaked sugar cube into a chilled champagne flute. Pour over the cognac and only then fill up the glass with bubbly champagne.

Finally, an elegant garnish of lemon peel will make the drink perfect. -Ready to be served at your next New Year's Eve event!

History of the Champagne Cocktail Recipe

Like many other classic drinks, the recipe for the Champagne Cocktail first was mentioned in Jerry Thomas's book The Bartender's Guidepublished in 1862. -A bible for every (home) bartender that includes an endless list of classics. 

A few of the recipes in the book are outdated due to the unavailability of certain ingredients. But that is not the case for the Champagne Cocktail.

In his first recipe, Thomas asked for champagne, sugar, cocktail bitters, and lemon zest - all still readily available today. Interestingly the recipe didn't include brandy, and the drink was served on crushed ice and in a tumbler back then.

It also seems as if Thomas wasn't the one to come up with the recipe: Robert Tomes mentioned an equivalent drink seven years before in his book "Panama in 1855". However, he forgot to provide the recipe. Instead, Tomes only described some ingredients. He wrote:

"A bottle of prime sparkling "Mum" was brought, a refreshing plateful of crystal ice, fresh from Rockland by the last steamer, and rather a medicinal looking bottle, upon which was written in direct, brief terms "Bitters"."

Robert Tomes, Panama in 1855

That looks pretty similar to the instructions Jerry Thomas provided in his first book. 

Champagne Cocktail Recipe Bartenders Guide Jerry Thomas

Both - the recipe and the preferred way to serve it - did evolve a lot over time. First, the amount of ice was reduced, then the tumbler got replaced by a goblet glass.

Today's recipe is even more refined. The ice is gone completely, and to enhance the depth of flavors in the cocktail, a splash of cognac has joined the mix.

Other Cocktails with Champagne

This drink is only one of many cocktails made with champagne. For a long time, these classy drinks were almost forgotten and only served on special occasions because they were expensive.

However, in the past decades, affordable quality sparkling wines like Prosecco, Cava, etc., entered the international market, making these cocktails more approachable again:

When people first hear about Tiki cocktails, most have no clue what these Tiki drinks are. They may have a more or less vague sense of what Tiki Cocktails are, and the image of palm trees, Hula, and colorful drinks come up in their heads. So, what is a Tiki cocktail? 

Tiki drinks are typically fun, tropical cocktails based on rum and are often served in colorful so-called tiki mugs. The ingredients of a tiki cocktail vary but often include lime juice, fruit syrups or juices, and rich syrups like Demerara or Orgeat.

When asked what makes a cocktail a Tiki cocktail, many will struggle. And honestly, that's quite understandable. Some drinks clearly seem to have the makings for a Tiki-themed cocktail, but they do not belong to this category.

Others don't necessarily come across as what commonly is perceived as the Tiki-Vibe, but they actually are. For instance, the Navy Grog is one of these drinks few people tie to this category.

So what does a cocktail need to be Tiki?

First, what does Tiki even mean?

The word Tiki traces back to New Zealand and Polynesia. It is Māori and refers to either a stone or wooden carving in a form that somewhat resembles a human being.

These carvings often have piercing eyes and a distorted, menacing expression. They mainly represent Polynesian Gods, but also ancestors or other important figures in Polynesian culture.

Tiki in Maori -the first man on earth

The literal meaning of Tiki is equivalent to Adam in Christian culture. It is Māori for the first man on earth. So nothing even remotely close to Hawaii or the Caribbean, enjoying yourself and drinking cocktails, for that matter. So how did this association happen?

As long-distance travel became more common, the ancient Tiki culture became known to the Western world. It gained vast popularity in the 1930s and grew further when soldiers returned from the South Pacific after World War II. And that was when the hype started.

Origin of modern Tiki culture and Tiki Cocktails

After prohibition had ended, Texas-born Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt opened the first Tiki-themed bar in Hollywood, California.

If you are halfway familiar with modern Tiki culture, you might now wonder if it wasn't Donn Beach who opened the first Tiki Bar - his famous Don the Beachcomber.

And yes, it was since Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt and Donn Beach are, in fact, the same person. Beaumont-Gantt changed his name to Donn Beach to match his restaurant once this had turned out to be a huge success.

Early Success of Don the Beachcomber

After three years in business, Donn and his girlfriend Sunny (Cora Irene Sund) had enough money on the side to move into a more spacious location just across the street.

They decorated the new place with fishing nets, bamboo accessories, and all sorts of other Polynesian-style things.

Don the Beachcomber

Don the Beachcomber offered its customers exotic drinks, often featuring rum, with cocktail umbrellas and Cantonese cuisine spiced up with pineapple and coconut flavors.

Today, Donn Beach is now famously known as the father of modern Tiki culture. He allegedly invented a total of 84 cocktail recipes, amongst them, for instance, the boozy Zombie.

The Tiki hype grew further after WWII

Around the time when World War II ended, in mid-1938, a restaurant chain called Trader Vic's opened its doors - created by Victor Jules Bergeron.

He followed a similar concept to Donn Beach's ideas with tropical decoration, colorful, exotic cocktails, rattan and bamboo, and flaming torches - just like the setup at Don the Beachcomber. And with soldiers returning from the South Pacific, Trader Vic's quickly gained traction.

Mai Tai cocktail from Trader Vic's

Also, Victor Bergeron is believed to have invented the famous Mai Tai cocktail soon after he opened his restaurant chain. However, there is an ongoing dispute if it might not have been Donn Beach after all.

But what neither of them can claim is the credit for the beloved ceramic Tiki mugs with faces inspired by authentic Māori Tiki carvings or Hula girls. Those appeared in the US only in the late 1950s.

How did Polynesian culture turn Hawaiian? 

Honestly, that is a bit of a complicated story:

Sunny made Don the Beachcomber big

Don the Beachcomber was managed and built more by his wife Sunny than by Donn himself. He joined the forces when WW2 broke out and was away building rest and recreation centers for soldiers most of the time.

Eventually, when Donn returned, he found a prosperous business that had already expanded to 16 locations within the US.

Unfortunately, he also came back to a marriage that went sideways very soon after his return. And when Donn and his wife split, Sunny insisted on keeping the rights to the brand and the company.

Of course, she had done most of the work involved. So when it came to a legal battle, she won, and Donn wasn't even allowed to use the name Don the Beachcomber anymore. At least not within the US.

Don moves to Hawaii

However, because Donn was a bright guy, and Hawaii did not yet belong to the States, he went there to open a new location under the name Don the Beachcomber. And again, it was a huge success and the foundation for the fusion of the Hawaiian lifestyle and Tiki culture.

Tiki Mugs

Now, jumping to more recent history: of the many Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's restaurants, only a few lived to see the turn of the century.

A few years ago, in April 2018, the last Don the Beachcomber, located at Sunset Beach in LA, announced that, sadly, they were going to close their doors that same month.

And of the formerly more than 30 Trader Vic's restaurants, to date, only two remain in business - one in Atlanta, GA, the other in Emeryville, CA.

What is the essence of Tiki Cocktails?

Back from the origin of modern Tiki hype to the actual Tiki Cocktails again.

As I mentioned, dozens of different drinks are categorized as Tiki, and it's hard to find a common denominator.

The closest would probably be to say that all Tiki Cocktails have a tropical -meaning South Pacific, Hawaiian, Caribbean- theme.

Because Tiki is a fantasy genre that has sprung from the thoughts of Donn Beach, there was no need for categorization back then. In fact, he didn't even use the term Tiki at first. The necessity to give the baby a name came way later.

Essential Tiki Cocktails

The base for Tiki cocktails usually is rum, lime juice, and sugar. Those three ingredients are the essence of all Tiki Cocktails, and you can find them in almost all our favorite Tiki recipes.

But, of course, there are exceptions. For instance, the Chi-Chi is classified as Tiki but contains vodka instead of rum.

And then some are borderline: technically, the Piña Colada is not Tiki because it is pretty much on the sweet side. Nevertheless, many consider a Piña Colada to be Tiki.

Also, there is one more thing that makes a Tiki Cocktail: the spices. Donn Beach even created a formula called Donn's Mix, which he added to most of his cocktails.

He kept the ingredients a secret for a long time, but eventually, it got lifted and turned out to be cinnamon syrup mixed with grapefruit.

The Holy Trinity of Tiki Cocktails

The term Holy Trinity in this context refers to the three most influential cocktails in modern Tiki culture.

The first of these three is indeed the Navy Grog. That might be a little surprising for some because, these days, the word Grog can be everything and anything.

But it is true, Grog widely is recognized as the very first Tiki Cocktail. It consists of rum, water, lemon juice, and sugar. So basically, that's the essence I described earlier.

Holy Trinity of Tiki Cocktails

The other two of this infamous, very boozy trio are the Zombie and the Mai Tai. -With the Zombie being one of Donn Beach's first creations. It is a very complex cocktail, requiring a lot of different ingredients if you want to do it right.

It contains multiple types of rum, Falernum, Pernod, fruit juices, bitters, grenadine, and, naturally, Donn's mix.

The Mai Tai - given the benefit of the doubt- is an invention of Victor Bergeron for Trader Vic's. It is rum mixed with Curaçao, lime juice, and orgeat syrup.

Overview of famous and popular Tiki Cocktails

The Holy Trinity of Tiki cocktails -Navy Grog, Mai Tai, and Zombie- is already covered. But apart from those three, countless other cocktails belong to the Tiki category. Here are six of the most famous ones. For more, go to this list of Tiki Cocktails.

Planters Punch with mint garnish

Planter's Punch

Variations of the Planter's Punch have been around as early as the 1800s. But the drink got refined and twisted over time, and the version we know today emerged during the peak of the Tiki movement.

It contains dark rum, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda, and a dash of Angostura bitters.

Swimming Pool cocktail in glass

Swimming Pool

The Swimming Pool cocktail, also known as Blue Hawaiian, is almost unmistakable for its bright blue color. Some are put off by the rather artificial-looking color, while others love it just for that reason.

Besides rum and vodka, the Swimming Pool contains Blue Curaçao, heavy cream, pineapple juice, and coconut cream. And the typical garnish is a slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry skewered on a cocktail pick.

Dark n Stormy cocktail

Dark'n'Stormy

The Dark'n'Stormy is a ginger-spiced Tiki drink whose official home is in Bermuda. It features rum, lime juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, and ginger beer.

The Bermudian rum-producing company Gosling's managed to register a trademark for this drink. So if you want to abide by the law, you can mix a Dark'n'Stormy with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum only.

Painkiller cocktail with pineapple

Painkiller

The Painkiller is a twist on the Piña Colada. Apart from rum, it contains orange juice, grated nutmeg, and the characteristic Piña Colada components: pineapple juice and cream of coconut.

Don't confuse the cream of coconut with coconut cream. There is a significant difference.

Like the Navy Grog, the original Painkiller calls for Pusser's Rum as a basis - that is a rum made by the recipe of the British Royal Navy. But other aged rum works, too.

Singapore Sling cocktail in large glass

Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling originated in the Raffle's Hotel in Singapore. The drink is a classic Tiki cocktail in terms of the enormous ingredient count.

But less so when it comes to the base spirit because usually it's made with Gin. Apart from the juniper-flavored liquor, the Singapore Sling contains Grand Marnier, cherry liqueur, red wine, fruit juices, bitters, and soda water.

Cobras Fang Tiki cocktail

Cobra's Fang

The Cobra's Fang Cocktail is one of the many inventions from Donn Beach.

What's unique about it is that it calls for Absinthe - a rare cocktail ingredient in general but even rarer in Tiki Cocktails.

The rum is mandatory, but the Cobra's Fang recipe is more specific. It requires a mix of Jamaican and Demerara rum. Further, it contains falernum, fassionola syrup, orange and lime juice, and bitters.

Mai Tai cocktail

Mai Tai

The Mai Tai cocktail is a tropical delight made with white and dark rum. This iconic drink blends the flavors of rum, citrus, orange liqueur like triple sec or curaçao, and orgeat syrup in perfection.

To make it, combine all ingredients (except dark rum) in a cocktail shaker, shake it with crushed ice for 2 to 3 seconds, and then dump the whole mix into a glass. Float it with dark rum and garnish with a mint sprig.

Zombie cocktail

Zombie

The Zombie cocktail is best known for being a very potent drink. It is a true tiki legend and packs a powerful tropical punch. The drink is crafted with a blend of rums, fresh fruit juices like pineapple and lime, and exotic fruit syrups.

The inventor of the concoction is legendary bartender Donn Beach. His creation remains a classic tiki masterpiece that evokes visions of mysterious island rituals and swaying palm trees.

Sip with caution, as its deceptive smoothness masks its strength. However, the Zombie's tropical allure is for a taste of tiki magic that will transport you to the enchanting world of Polynesian cocktails.

Hurricane cocktail

Hurricane

The Hurricane cocktail is a vibrant and alluring creation, that captures the essence of New Orleans' spirited culture. The drink was invented in the 1940s by Pat O'Brien and its name was inspired by the unique glass it was served in, shaped like a hurricane lamp.

The cocktail combines the rich flavors of dark and light and crisp white rum with passion fruit syrup and citrus juices. The result is a harmonious balance of sweetness and tanginess.

Sipping a Hurricane whisks you away to the lively streets of the French Quarter, where jazz music fills the air, and celebrations never cease. Embrace the Hurricane's zestful charm as you bask in the vibrant spirit of the Big Easy.

Ethical aspects

The Tiki culture we talk about here is purely an American invention. And the question of whether this modern Tiki theme is appropriate gains more and more importance.

Remember - Tiki, in its original meaning, refers to Māori gods and not to fancy drinks. And clearly, there are good reasons for the debate about where to draw the line between commodification and respect.

The topic of respect for other cultures and ethnicities is now more present than ever. And to be part of that conversation, you can use the world tropical instead of Tiki.

It's respectful, and besides, it's more accurate considering the mixing-together of the South Pacific, Hawaii, and the Caribbean Islands.

Most people have the vague idea that Grog is a hot, or at least warm, alcoholic beverage that one preferably drinks in the colder months. -If one should prefer to drink it at all because the cocktail doesn't exactly come with a great reputation. 

That's where it stops, which is hardly surprising since there is no such thing as "the Grog recipe". It's more a general term used for a collection of alcoholic drinks. The Navy Grog, however, is more specific and limits the possible list of ingredients considerably. But even this leaves room for interpretation.

We show you how to make a good Navy Grog at home and give you insights into its origin and how the word "Grog" is used in different countries today.

What is Grog? 

Even though there is no correct version of Grog, it is possible to define the term. The most common definition still would be the first: hot rum, water, lemon or lime, and sugar.

Also, various dictionaries describe Grog as a mixture of rum and water, often served hot and usually flavored with lemon or lime, spices, and sugar. Others keep it more general and replace "rum" with "any type of liquor"

Ultimately, Grog can refer to any beverage containing alcohol, from high-proof spirits to beer. But how did it happen that Grog became such a generic term? -And one that seems to have a bit of a bad reputation, too?

Let me explain where such associations might come from and why they are only partly justified.

Hot Grog cocktail

Origin of the (Navy) Grog 

In its very early days, the mid-1700s, Grog was nothing more than warm rum diluted with water. If one was lucky, a pinch of spices came with the mix. 

Back then, this unusual way to drink rum was an idea of the British admiral Edward Vernon and made a lot of sense once you know his reasons - and it was not to prevent scurvy:

Before discovering Jamaican Rum, British sailors received daily rations of wine and beer. Once rum came along, it replaced those lighter brews. From then on, the men on board were constantly drunk. The potent spirit made the situation at sea more bearable but made the men lazy and lacking discipline.

Yet, while said Naval Admiral Vernon was known for advocating for better working conditions, he was also serious about his duty.

Therefore, the circumstances led Vernon in 1740 to pass the so-called Captain's Order 349, which declared that rum provisions must be mixed with water. To make the mixture more palatable, he advised adding lemon and sugar to the mix. 

Those additions -the vitamin C in the lemons, to be precise- did also help with scurvy, even if, initially, it wasn't the intention but only a welcome side effect.

Scurvy is caused by malnutrition leading to a deficiency of vitamin C. Symptoms include bruising, pain, and bleeding. However, nobody was aware of that in 1740.

Grog rations for British Navy soldiers

A Sailor's Favorite

Despite the initial disapproval of diluting their beloved rum with water, over time, Grog should become a sailor's favorite drink. They knocked it down with a loud toast of Up Spirits every day.

Now, believe it or not, Grog rations were provided to Royal Navy sailors twice a day until 1970. 

It was only then that the British Parliament had finally had enough of it and declared that the last Grog ration was to be handed out on the 30th of July that same year. -A day that is now known as Black Tot Day.

Why is it called Grog?

Involuntarily, Admiral Vernon also was responsible for the name of the drink.  Due to his fondness of coats made from grogram fabric -a firm, close-woven, fine-corded, waterproof heavy silk-mohair-wool blend with distinct transverse ribs- he was nicknamed Old Grog

When his sailors had to deal with this new, weakened version of their daily booze, they soon started to refer to it as Grog. - In a rather disparaging way because they were anything but happy about the new rules at first. After all, rum was the only way to drown out the terrible living conditions at sea.

The sailors' initial aversion to watered-down rum combined with the fact that the spirit was brought to the Navy by pirates quite possibly contributes to the fact that Grog still has somewhat of a dubious reputation.

By the way, until the 19th century, Grog usually was drunk warm. That changed only with the invention of cooling technologies. Also, the recipe was altered and refined over the past centuries.

grogram fabric
grogram fabric

The Term Grog in Different Regions

Apart from its historical meaning, today, the term Grog can refer to all sorts of alcoholic drinks, which is one main reason why it has such a questionable reputation (together with the fact that it was a "cheap" drink for sailors - and pirates):

Since Grog can mean so many different things depending on where you are in the world, there is a distinction between the terms Grog and Navy Grog. It indicates which version you mean: the original, legendary mix of rum, water, lemon juice, and sugar or the somewhat vague reference to any sort of alcoholic, often warm, beverage.

Hot Grog black tea

The Best Navy Grog Recipe

One part sour, two parts sweet, three parts strong, and four parts weak. That was the original rule of thumb for Navy Grog in the British Navy. Sour is lemon juice, sweet refers to sugar, strong means the rum, and weak the water.

This formula changed over time, and you can find many variations, hot or cold. Some ask for different measurements or add ingredients like grapefruit juice, honey, soda water, or cinnamon. 

We prefer our Navy Grog close to the original. Thus, this is our favorite recipe:

Ingredients:

Instructions for the cold version:

Put all the ingredients into your cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well chilled. Then strain over ice into an old fashioned glass. Add the lemon wedge.

If you want to make a hot Grog:

Add all ingredients into a mug and give them a good stir. Add the lemon wedge and Up Spirits!

Pussers Navy Rum Original

The Original Navy Rum

For a long time, the original rum used by the Royal Navy to make their Grog was not available to the public. It was exclusive to sailors, their superiors, and other naval workers. 

When the daily rum rations ended in 1970, however, things changed.

The demand for Navy Rum decreased drastically, as you can imagine. So it happened that in the 1980s, the manufacturer decided to sell the original Navy Rum in liquor stores. 

The label under which it went and still goes over the counter is Pusser's Navy Rum. They pride themselves on being one of the most traditional and historic rum brands available today.

Pusser is slang and goes back to the word purser. A ship's purser was the person who handed out Rum rations to sailors in the Royal Navy.

Navy Grog

Navy Grog in Tiki Cocktail Culture

Many people consider Grog to be the first Tiki cocktail. And sure, it is one part of the holy trinity of Tiki Cocktails - the other two being the Zombie Cocktail and the Mai Tai

Of course, there are many more brilliant Tiki cocktails today, but these three are untouchable. Thus, the Grog recipe is the foundation of many of our favorite cocktails today. So grab your shaker and mix yourself a good one.

Some ask for different measurements or add ingredients like grapefruit juice, honey, soda water, or cinnamon. But I prefer it a little closer to the original, and therefore, here is my favorite Grog recipe:

Navy Grog cocktail

Navy Grog

Often disregarded but one of the most influential concoctions for today's mixology.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: British
Keyword: lemon juice, rum
Servings: 1
Calories: 191kcal
Cost: $1.90

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker only for cold version
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer only for cold version

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Navy Rum
  • 2 oz water - hot or chilled
  • ½ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz Demerara syrup
  • 1 lemon wedge - for garnish

Instructions

Cold Version

  • Add Rum, chilled water, lemon juice, syrup, and ice into your shaker.
    2 oz Navy Rum, 2 oz water, ½ oz lemon juice, ½ oz Demerara syrup
  • Shake until your cocktail shaker feels cold, and strain your Grog into an Old Fashioned glass.
  • Garnish with a lemon wedge. Cheers!
    1 lemon wedge

Hot Version

  • For the hot version, you don't use a shaker. Just pour all ingredients into a mug and stir for a few seconds. The hot water ensures that everything blends well.
    2 oz Navy Rum, 2 oz water, ½ oz lemon juice, ½ oz Demerara syrup
  • Garnish with a lemon wedge. Cheers!
    1 lemon wedge

Nutrition

Serving: 5ozCalories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 0.8gSodium: 18.7mgPotassium: 40mgSugar: 16.1gVitamin C: 6.2mgCalcium: 17.4mgIron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The vibrant yellow Barracuda Cocktail consists of rum, Galliano Liqueur, pineapple juice, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and Prosecco. The full-bodied aroma of rum and the addition of herbal notes from Galliano work beautifully with the tropical pineapple and lime juice.

The cocktail exudes a hint of Tiki culture and is also classified as such. Yet, actually, the Barracuda is closer related to a classic Rum Sour. 

Quick Facts El Capitan Cocktail

When talking about the Barracuda, we also have to mention the role of Galliano, who had a crucial part in the success of the cocktail recipe- but first, let's mix a great drink.

Barracuda cocktail

Recipe Barracuda Cocktail

A fruity and herbal cocktail made of Rum, Galliano, fruit juices, and Prosecco.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Prosecco, rum
Servings: 1
Calories: 199kcal
Cost: $3.20

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Havana Club 3 years
  • 0.5 oz Galliano liqueur
  • 1.5 oz Pineapple juice
  • 0.5 oz Lime juice
  • 1 tsp Simple syrup
  • 1 oz Prosecco spumante

Instructions

  • Pour Rum, Galliano liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, and syrup into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice.
    1.5 oz Havana Club 3 years, 0.5 oz Galliano liqueur, 1.5 oz Pineapple juice, 0.5 oz Lime juice, 1 tsp Simple syrup
  • Shake until the drink is well-chilled.
  • Strain into a chilled glass or pineapple mug.
  • Top with Prosecco
    1 oz Prosecco spumante

Nutrition

Serving: 5.5ozCalories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 19.03gProtein: 0.35gFat: 0.66gSodium: 1.92mgPotassium: 85.42mgSugar: 17.72gVitamin C: 9.5mgCalcium: 16.32mgIron: 0.27mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ingredients & Recommendations

When shopping for the ingredients for the Barracuda Cocktail, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Tips for Mixing

Our Barracuda is shaken and served straight up with no ice. It's crucial to use enough ice when shaking - large ice cubes, no crushed ice because this will water down your cocktail. Fill one shaker tin with cubes, then pour the ingredients over the ice.

Shake for about 8 seconds to chill all ingredients properly, and add some ice cubes to your glass while prepping to cool it. Discard the ice shortly before pouring the drink.

History of the Barracuda Cocktail

The roots of the cocktail lie in the open sea: In the 1950s, Italian bartender Benito Cuppari invented the drink while working on the Cristoforo Colombo Cruise Liner. 

A few years later, in 1965, he perfected the recipe for the cocktail, soon after starting to work on another ship - the SS Michelangelo.

Cuppari took the advanced version of his recipe as an opportunity to rename the cocktail into Barracuda. As it happens, that was also the name of one of the most famous beach clubs in the 50s and 60s. That club was by a close friend of Cuppari. A fact that surely played a role in his choosing the new name.

Barracuda cocktail in pineapple

The Barracuda Cocktail was a huge success. The first version was already selling well, but the refined version smashed it. 

It won a cocktail competition on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent and almost immediately caught the attention of the Italian liqueur brand Galliano.

Same as with the Yellow Bird cocktail, the international success of the Barracuda goes back to an offensive and very clever marketing campaign by the Galliano brand. One of their best moves was the release of the mug the Barracuda got served in:

Initially, the drink came in a natural pineapple shell, but Galliano replaced it with a branded ceramic pineapple mug. The fruity concoction became the signature cocktail of the cruise ship, and the ceramic pineapple mug was a popular souvenir amongst guests.

The recipe is also part of a small booklet with dozens of cocktail recipes, the brand distributed in 1969.

Galliano Liqueur Recipe Booklet 1969 Barracuda

More Tiki Cocktail Recipes

When you like easy-to-drink, fruity rum cocktails, try some of these Tiki favorites:

For more inspiration, check out our list of the 20 best Tiki Cocktails of all time.

As the name implies, the Porto Flip contains port wine. When you mix that sweet wine with brandy and a whole fresh egg, you get a cocktail that is rich - in taste and mouthfeel. 

The foamy top with freshly grated nutmeg gives the appearance of a dessert, and it also feels a little like that when drinking the Porto Flip due to the relatively thick consistency.

Quick Facts Porto Flip

To fine-tune the cocktail, you need the perfect balance of brandy and port. Cognac is our favorite for the first, and the latter is up for debate. You can find more on this below. Regardless of your choice, it will result in quite an unconventional drink.

Porto Flip cocktail

Recipe Porto Flip

A frothy and rich cocktail made of Cognac, port, and fresh egg.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Brandy, Cognac, port
Servings: 1
Calories: 223kcal
Cost: $2.90

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Cognac
  • 1.5 oz Tawny port wine
  • 1 tsp Simple syrup
  • 1 Organic egg
  • Grated nutmeg - (garnish)

Instructions

  • Add Cognac, port, syrup, and egg into a cocktail and dry-shake without ice for 15 seconds.
    1 oz Cognac, 1.5 oz Tawny port wine, 1 tsp Simple syrup, 1 Organic egg
  • Open your shaker, add ice, and shake again until the whole drink is chilled.
  • Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with freshly grated nutmeg.
    Grated nutmeg

Nutrition

Serving: 4ozCalories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 10.48gProtein: 2.3gFat: 1.2gSaturated Fat: 0.6gSodium: 22.92mgPotassium: 72.42mgSugar: 9.32gCalcium: 17.82mgIron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ingredients for a magnificent Porto flip

The list of ingredients to make a Porto Flip is relatively short. It contains cognac, syrup, an egg, and either ruby or tawny port wine. The quality of each element is vital:

Tips for Mixing

First of all, you should perform a dry shake to properly foam up the egg and create that foamy, beautiful texture. Dry shaking means you shake for 10 to 15 seconds without ice in your shaker. After that, add ice cubes to the shaker to chill all ingredients and shake once more. This time, a little shorter, though. 5 to 8 seconds are sufficient.

Second, we recommend you chill the glass in the fridge or the freezer before mixing and pouring your drink. Since you serve it straight up - cold but without ice, this helps maintain a low temperature for longer. - That is also why you should use glassware with a stem: you can hold the drink without warming it up with your hand.

History of the Porto Flip

The first flip cocktails popped up in the late 1600s. Half a millennium ago, the recipe included ale, sugar, eggs, and spices. The mix was heated with a red-hot iron and was served hot. Later the recipe evolved, and fortified wine or liquor became the base of the drink.

Today the category of flips includes a whole variety of cocktail recipes. The Porto Flip is probably the best-known member of this category.

Due to the vast amount of different flip cocktails, there is hardly any documentation, making it impossible to tell who actually invented the Porto Flip.

What we do know, however, is that Jerry Thomas was the first to publish the recipe in written form. 

In 1862, he released his book The Bartender's Guide: How to Mix Drinks; A Bon Vivant’s Companion. In that book, the cocktail goes under its old name Coffee Cocktail

Coffee cocktail aka Porto Flip recipe

In the image above, you can see the original recipe and the corresponding note made by Jerry Thomas. That clearly reveals that it definitely was not him who invented the drink: "… it looks like coffee when it has been properly concocted, and hence probably its name."

When made right, the drink looks similar to coffee. However, depending on your choice of ingredients, the cocktails can also have a rosy shade instead. That, and the fact that the recipe does not include coffee, ultimately must have led to the name change to Porto Flip.

More Flip Cocktails

Flip cocktails generally are delicious, sweet, and rich drinks. They usually contain fortified wine or liquor, a fresh egg (york and egg white), and a bit of sugar to create a rich concoction with a frothy top. 

Flip cocktails can be served hot or cold, depending on the recipe. Besides the Porto Flip, there are, for instance:

The category is closely related to eggnog. However, there is a significant difference between the two: Both have eggs as an ingredient, but only eggnog calls for cream, which leads to an even richer drink.

Introduction to Port Wine

In case you never heard of port wine before. Port is a fortified wine, just like vermouth or sherry. It is produced in the Douro Valley in the northern part of Portugal. 

Port wine is usually sweeter and also higher in alcohol when compared to regular wine - usually 19 to 22% ABV.

There are many types of ports, with ruby and tawny being the most popular. You can read our post about port wine to learn more about the different types.

Port wine is a traditional fortified wine from the Douro valley in Portugal. This large area is located in the Northern part of the country, just north of Porto.

Only bottles produced in Portugal can be authentic port wine. However, similar to Champagne, this regulation does by no means limit the selection. There are many different styles and also vintage bottles made for long-time aging.

What is Port? | Facts | Different Types | Taste | How it's made | Price | Grapes | How to serve | The right glass | Port in cocktails | Food Pairings | Top brands | FAQs

What is port wine?

Port wine, also Vinho do Porto, is a sweet, fortified wine similar to Vermouth or Sherry. Its alcohol by volume varies slightly depending on variants and brands. But on average, it contains around 20% ABV (40 proof).

It originates from Douro Valley, which can be divided into three regions: the Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and the Douro Superior. Each of these zones has distinct characteristics and different average temperatures. 

Grapes growing in the Cima (Engl. higher) Corgo zone are often considered the highest quality grapes. Therefore, they are commonly used for Vintage, Reserve, and aged Tawny ports.

Quick Facts

The different types

There are seven different main types to differentiate port wines. And most have one or more subcategories, which can get confusing. To keep it short and simple, we only discuss the most important ones here.

Check out our article about the different port wine styles for detailed information on the topic.

Different types of por in glassest - white, ruby, tawny

Taste

The taste of a port ultimately depends on the respective type and, of course, the brand. I still want to give you a general idea: Overall, port is far sweeter than regular wine. Especially the red types, like Ruby and Tawny, are rich in flavor and among the sweeter ones. 

White port is lighter and drier than its red counterparts. That, combined with its citrus and stone fruit notes, works beautifully with tonic water. You can find this refreshing mixed drink, served in grand Copa glasses, all over Porto.

The Rosé port is quite rare and has some unique notes to it. It is a bright mix of strawberry, violets, and caramel.

Red ports are fruitier, heavier, and richer in taste. Common flavors are berries (raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry), caramel, toffee, nuts, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate. Ruby tends to be more fruity, while Tawny offers intenser notes of caramel and nuts.

Aged Tawnies have a much larger spectrum of flavors, like green peppercorn, almond, hazelnut, and butterscotch. A general rule of thumb is that the older the port, the more refined its flavors.

Ruby and Tawny Port in port wine glasses

How it's made

In the early stages, you make it like any other wine. Later, to enhance richness and increase the ABV, producers add a distilled grape spirit (e.g., Brandy) to the wine base. -Just before all sugar is used up during fermentation. 

The Portuguese call this grape spirit aguardente, deriving from the terms água and ardente, which translates to fiery water. 

Once grape spirit and wine are blended, fermentation stops, and the port wine is "fortified". By that, the amount of alcohol remains higher, and more residual sugar is left in the wine, making it taste sweeter.

How much does one bottle cost?

The price range for port wine is wide. Standard White, Ruby, and Tawny Port is between $10 - $12. But ports can easily cost way more than that. It isn't unusual to pay $150 - $200 for a rare bottle of aged port wine.

The most expensive bottles sell for thousands of dollars, with Taylor Fladgate Scion Vintage Port being one if not the most expensive one in the world.

The grapes used to make port

The grape varieties for making port wine are heavily regulated. Only 30 types qualify recommendable for making port wine of 82 different types permitted in port wine production. Also, these port grapes are classified as very good, good, average, mediocre, or bad.

To put this into perspective: more than 2.500 grape varieties can be used for making wine. If you need more detailed information, read our guide to grapes used to produce this fortified wine.

How to serve it

The proper temperature is an important part when serving port wine. White port tastes best chilled or in combination with tonic water. Tawny should be served slightly chilled at 10 to 12°C (50°F to 54°F ), Ruby just below room temperature at 16 to 18°C (60°F to 64°F).

The right glass

Only in the right glass can you fully perceive the aromas and flavors of the wine. For this, the right size and shape are vital. Scientists have found that this influences how scents are perceived. 

Ideally, a good port should come in a small, specially designed glass reminiscent of Copita or Sherry glasses. The small, narrow opening intensifies the wine's bouquet.

By swirling, you can help the wine to breathe. That helps to develop deeper aromas and flavors, especially with more complex port wines.

Port wine tasting in specific glassware

Port in cocktails

Port goes very well in cocktails. In fact, it's the crucial element in one of our all-time favorite drinks - the Continental Sour. But there are more intriguing drinks to try with the strong, sweet fortified wine. 

One is, for instance, the classic Porto Flip, an excellent after-dinner cocktail, and a white Port & Tonic. This invigorating thirst quencher is a delicious way to incorporate the white variety into a mixed drink.

Food pairings

Port is an ideal wine to pair with sweet or savory snacks. You can match it with mild and creamy cheese and more intense options like blue cheese. Sweet pairings include chocolate, caramel, and nuts. Depending on the type, the food pairing options vary slightly. So here's a quick guide on how to pair ports:

Top port brands

You can find port in wine shops, liquor stores, and sometimes grocery stores. If you're new to this kind of wine, we recommend sticking with reputable brands first to get an idea of how it should taste.

Here are some brilliant port brands you can buy, sorted alphabetically:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a port last once open?

An open bottle of port should be stored in the fridge. Like Vermouth and other fortified wines, you best consume it within 2-4 weeks. After that, the wine will lose its aroma and flavor.

How long will port cellar?

Vintage port bottles are designed to age for a very long time. They can easily remain on a shelf for 100 years and more. However, the standard bottles of Tawny or Ruby aren't intended for aging. You should consume them within two years from the purchase date.

How can I substitute port wine?

You can substitute port by combining dry red wine (2 parts) with Brandy (1 part) and sugar (0.25 parts). That is not a replacement when planning to serve it neat, but suitable for cooking.

Often served in a sugar-rimmed Martini glass, the Lemon Drop is mostly perceived as a modern take on the classic Vodka Martini. -Hence, the name. Yet, when taking a closer look at the recipe, it has more similarities with other classic cocktails like the White Lady.

Quick Facts Lemon Drop Martini

Regardless of what you compare it to, the contemporary drink was a tremendous success in the recent past. 

It has reached enough popularity for talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, to serve it in one of her shows. Now, Oprah might or might not be an indicator of a good drink, this definitely shows how popular the recipe has become.

Lemon Drop Martini cocktail on plate with lemons in background

Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe

A boozy and tart cocktail made of lemon vodka, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vodka
Servings: 1
Calories: 203kcal
Cost: $2.30

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Vodka citron
  • 0.25 oz Cointreau
  • 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz Simple syrup

Instructions

  • Sugar-rim a chilled Martini glass some minutes before preparing the drink. This way, the sugar can dry and build a crust before you pour the drink into the glass.
  • Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake until well-chilled.
    2 oz Vodka citron, 0.25 oz Cointreau, 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz Simple syrup
  • Strain into the prepared Martini glass.

Nutrition

Serving: 3.75ozCalories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 7.25gSodium: 2.75mgPotassium: 21.25mgSugar: 7.25gVitamin C: 10.25mgCalcium: 6.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ingredients of the Lemon Drop Martini

The Lemon Drop Martini is a tangy blend made with three citric elements and a dash of sugar syrup to balance the acidity:

How to make the best Lemon Drop

Here are a few pro tips and tricks to get the most out of your Lemon Drop Cocktail. If you follow our suggestions, your drink is sure to be a winner:

First, you should chill your glass in the freezer or the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. This cocktail is served straight up - without ice- and you want it to keep a cool temperature for as long as possible.

This is also why you should serve it in a martini glass in the first place. You and your guests can hold the glass on the stem. Thus, don't warm up the contents while drinking.

Further, make sure to use fresh lemon juice. That's absolutely vital and non-negotiable if you want a great cocktail. 

Also, should you decide to sugar-rim your glass, do that a couple of minutes before mixing your Lemon Drop to give the sugar some time to dry. Consider only putting sugar on half the rim, so not everyone has to swallow sugar crystals if they don't want to.

Two Lemon Drop Cocktails on marble plate next to jigger

Variations

A very successful variation of this drink is the Lavender Lemon Drop Martini. It has a beautiful purple color and a floral taste. Other versions add fresh, muddled, crushed, puréed, or frozen berries to the base formula or berry-flavored liqueurs. Sometimes, these fruity versions sport a colorful and flavored sugar rim to improve presentation.

History of the Lemon Drop Cocktail

Norman Jay Hobday, a former Vietnam veteran, invented the recipe for the Lemon Drop Martini in the 70s in his bar in San Francisco.

Hobday started his new career as a bar owner in 1969 when he opened Henry Africa's Bar in SFC. His place was the first so-called fern bar, decorated with house plants (mostly fern) and fake Tiffany lamps. 

The bar became an instant hot spot, and the fern bar was quickly a household name in the region. It was there that Hobday invented the Lemon Drop cocktail. Like the fern bar concept, the cocktail spread across the region like wildfire.

Most likely, the cocktail got its name from lemon drop candy. Plus, the hype surrounding the tart drink led to a shot version. -Itself a frequent order during the 90s.

Recipes You Might Also Like

If you like creative approaches to the traditional concept of a Martini, how about:

All these twists of the Lemon Drop are commonly regarded as a type of Martini, even though that definition may be up for discussion since the only two commonalities are the vodka and the glass.

This original 1942 version of the Suffering Bastard Cocktail, also listed by the IBA, is based on two types of spirits: Gin and Brandy. Lime juice, Angostura cocktail bitters, and ginger beer complete the mix.

Quick Facts Suffering Bastard Cocktail

However, the cocktail name Suffering Bastard refers to two very different drinks. The following is the original recipe. You can find more info on the Tiki version below.

Suffering Bastard cocktail with mint next to jigger

Suffering Bastard Recipe

A boozy drink that was invented to be a hangover cure for troops in WWII.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Egyptian
Keyword: Cognac
Servings: 1
Calories: 211kcal
Cost: $4.40

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Cognac
  • 1 oz Dry Gin or London Dry Gin
  • 0.5 oz Lime cordial
  • 0.5 oz Fresh lime juice
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 3 oz Ginger beer
  • 1 Mint sprig

Instructions

  • Add Cognac, Gin, lime cordial, lime juice, and Angostura bitters into your cocktail shaker together with plenty of ice.
    1 oz Cognac, 1 oz Dry Gin or London Dry Gin, 0.5 oz Lime cordial, 0.5 oz Fresh lime juice, 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Shake until the drink is well-chilled.
  • Strain into a Tiki mug or Collins glass and top with ginger beer.
    3 oz Ginger beer
  • Garnish with a sprig of mint.
    1 Mint sprig

Nutrition

Serving: 6.25ozCalories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 17.72gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 68.5mgSugar: 16.77gVitamin C: 12.4mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ingredients & Recommendations

Here's what you'll need to make this classic Suffering Bastard Cocktail, including our recommendations and favorites:

Tipps & Tricks for Mixing

Scialom's creation usually comes in a highball glass over ice with a mint spring. To get the drink right, you should keep a few simple things in mind: 

Suffering Bastard Cocktail

Variations of the Suffering Bastard Cocktail

According to Joe Scialom's daughter, the traditional recipe of the Suffering Bastard asks for brandy, gin, lime juice, Angostura bitters, and ginger beer. 

Later on, bourbon became a common substitute or complement for brandy in the recipe. Even Scialom himself occasionally did that and called this variant the Dying Bastard. And the drink with a base of gin, brandy, bourbon, and rum is called a Dead Bastard.

The Tiki Version

Another drink that goes by the same name was part of the Tiki cocktail culture in the 1960s. Trader Vic, an icon of said Tiki Movement, also created a drink he called Suffering Bastard

His version is obviously based on rum and got published in written form in 1968. Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook contained a recipe listing light and dark rum, lime juice, Curaçao, orgeat syrup, and cucumber. 

You can see that the recipe is far from the original one Joe Scialom developed and is less well-known these days.

Origin of the Recipe

As mentioned, the original and traditional version of the Suffering Bastard Cocktail was invented by Egyptian bartender Joe Scialom. The first time it was served was in the Shepherd's Hotel in Cairo in 1942. 

Created for Allied troops during World War II, the cocktail quickly became extremely popular amongst British soldiers. You can read the full story about the origin of the recipe and its two variations - the Dying and the Dead Bastard in our post on the history of the Suffering Bastard.

More Brandy cocktails

If you like the idea of combining cognac and ginger-flavored drinks, try the Horse's Neck with a Kick. Other popular Cognac cocktails are:

ContactAbout usPrivacy PolicyTermsSitemap
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.

© 2023 Cocktail-Society.com