I’ve got one final Tiki cocktail for you before January’s #TikiTheSnowAway campaign ends! It’s been a fun month – I tried some new recipes and learned a lot about rum and Tiki drinks. It was definitely a welcome contrast to the cold and snow.
While the Jet Pilot, Navy Grog, and Zombie are all essential Tiki cocktails that date back to the early days of the movement, the Jungle Bird is more like a new classic. It’s an extremely popular Tiki cocktail, and one that a lot of other Drinkstagrammers made this month at one point or another. The unique thing about it is the inclusion of Campari, a bitter aperitif that is definitely not part of the traditional Tiki repertoire. As a result, this cocktail provides a fresh take on the usual Tiki formula. It’s got all the tropical flavors you expect with a wonderfully bitter twist at the end of your sip. If you like it, you might also enjoy the Bitter Mai Tai, another Tiki drink that includes Campari.
History: The Jungle Bird was invented at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton around 1978. The recipe was included in Beachbum Berry Remixed.
Jungle Bird
Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin with crushed ice and a few large agitator cubes. Shake well or flash blend and open pour into a Collins or highball glass. Garnish with pineapple leaves.
*For Smuggler’s Cove’s Demerara syrup, bring 2 parts water to a boil and whisk in 1 part Demerara sugar. Then add 3 parts granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool before using.
Recipe adapted from Smuggler’s Cove.