Jungle Bird Cocktail – If It’s Meant to Be, It Will Be
PUBLISHED ON: 04.05.2022
The early beginnings of this cocktail is the late 70’s at the Aviary Bar in the Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This Tiki bar cocktail made with rum, and brightly colored, has evolved considerably for the modern palate.
The ingredients almost seem at odds with one another. You have a built-in sweetness with the pineapple juice, and the rich simple syrup but, instead its funky and earthy, balanced out by the bitter black strap rum and Campari.
My husband made this cocktail on a late Saturday afternoon. Our brains were twirling with how to describe the flavors. “I don’t dislike it… I like it… Oh wow, I really like it.” Damn, it was complex. On Saturday evening, we invited our cocktail loving neighbors for a sample or two. They were equally stumped with a description. Suddenly our friend described this cocktail like a “Blind Date.” ” Your first sip reveals some unique and unexpected flavors…Intriguing enough that you want to finish what you started… Sipping it slowly and tentatively, the flavors reveal a really intriguing and interesting profile… By the time you have finished your First Date, you are emboldened to suggest a second one.”
Don’t waste time. Gather the cocktail ingredients and invite your friends for a FUNtastic evening of enjoyment. I promise by the second cocktail (and you will request one) you will have come up with your own fanciful description.
The Perfect Jungle Bird Cocktail
Serves One
Recipe from Vine Pair
Ingredients:
3/4 ounce rich Demerara simple syrup (2:1 ratio)
Note: You can use a 2:1 ratio of dark brown sugar and water, if you are unable to locate Demerara syrup
7/8 ounce fresh lime juice (scant 1 ounce)
1-1/4 ounces fresh pineapple juice
3/4 ounce Campari
1 ounce blackstrap rum, such as Cruzan
1/2 ounce Demerara rum, such as El Dorado 12 (There are other quality less expensive rums you can use)
Pinched smoked salt
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with one large cube of ice.
2. Shake until cold and strain into a double Old Fashioned glass over one large cube of ice.
3. Garnish with your choice of pineapple wedge, orange, cocktail cherry, and/or pineapple fronds.
angiesrecipes
This sounds like an interesting drink…it has me, who doesn’t even drink, want to have a sip too!
David @ Spiced
Haha after a couple of these drinks, I’m sure I will come up with some unique descriptions! I do enjoy the blind date analogy here – haha! Thanks for sharing this fun cocktail. Is it 5:00 yet??
John / Kitchen Riffs
Great drink! It’s been several years since I’ve made one of these, and now I’m craving it. Good thing I have all the ingredients on hand. 🙂 Thanks!
sherry M
oh yum this sounds super amazing and delicious!
Pam
Oh boy! These look and sound tasty.
Eva Taylor
Now I’m intrigued. Will try to source the ingredients to make this.
Casey Lott
A blind date love it!
2pots2cook
It seems one could easily get addicted to this one ha ha ! Thank you so much !
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
I love sweet and fruity (dessert) kind of cocktails, so this is definitely right up my street 🙂 Intriguing and appealing combo indeed!
Judee
Ok, this drink is really different and unusual. From the color, I did not expect pineapple juice, but I do love rum so I’ll give it a try! Thanks- I love to try new cocktail drinks in the summer when entertaining outside.