Get A Taste Of Hawaii At Home With These Island-inspired Cocktails

Hawaii might feel like worlds away, but you could bring a bit of the tropical island to your property. Escape reality and be transported to the tropics with any one of these cocktails. These exotic drinks will virtually whisk you away to paradise so grab some paper umbrellas and have a little luau in your own backyard!

 Mai Tai

The Mai Tai was such a hit in the USA that Trader Vic decided to introduce the tropical concoction to the Hawaiian Islands. It was during this time that he added orange and pineapple juice to the cocktail to make it more tourist-friendly. 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp dark rum.
  • 2 tbsp light rum.
  • 2 tbsp orange juice.
  • 2 tbsp pineapple juice.
  • 1 tbsp Curaçao.
  • 1 tbsp lime juice.
  • 1 tsp white sugar.
  • 1 tsp orgeat syrup or 1 drop of pure almond extract.
  • Dash of grenadine.
  • 1 cup of ice cubes.
  • Fresh mint to garnish.

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker (except grenadine) and shake for 20 – 30 seconds until shaker is frosty on the outside.
  • Strain into a short glass filled with ice cubes.
  • Add a dash of grenadine into the top and garnish with fresh mint an umbrella.

Blue Hawaii 

The legendary Henry Yee, a bartender at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, created this iconic Hawaiian drink when Elvis was filming the 1961 classic, “Blue Hawaii,” at the hotel. With rum, pineapple juice, Curacao, sweet and sour mix – and sometimes vodka, this is one of the most iconic beverages you’ll find in Hawaii.

Ingredients

  • 1 fluid ounce light rum
  • 1 fluid ounce Blue Curacao liqueur
  • 2 fluid ounces pineapple juice
  • 1 fluid ounce cream of coconut
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • 1 pineapple slice
  • 1 maraschino cherry

Instructions

  1. Combine rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and 1 cup crushed ice in a blender. Puree on high speed until smooth.
  2. Pour into a chilled highball glass.
  3. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry and umbrella.

Lava Flow

The flavours of this drink are a combination made in paradise! The combination of strawberry, pineapple and coconut in this lava flow cocktail will make you think you’re on a beach swing on Waikiki overlooking the ocean.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz. coconut rum
  • 1 oz. light rum
  • 1/2 banana    
  • 2 oz. pineapple juice    
  • 2 oz. coconut cream    
  • 2 oz. frozen strawberries

Instructions

  1. The key to preparation is to blend the strawberries and rums separately from the other ingredients, rinsing the blender between steps. (If using strawberry puree, you can skip this and simply blend all ingredients except the puree.)
  2. Pour the strawberry mix or the puree to the bottom of a large glass (a collins or hurricane glass).  Then add the blender ingredients, or as it’s often done, reverse and pour the strawberry mix on top. The red strawberry mix swirls in the drink, simulating a lava flow.