By Alexander Britell and the Caribbean Journal Staff

From Cancun to Turks and Caicos, 7 Cocktails to Make Right Now

If you’re at home right now, you’re probably still dreaming about the Caribbean. And for those of us who can’t be in the region right now, there are still some ways to rediscover the Caribbean in your own home.

One particularly delicious way is by making a cocktail — and some of the Caribbean’s top hotels have you covered.

We’ve collected a series of recipes from top places to stay in destinations ranging from Cancun to Turks and Caicos, offering up a slice of the Caribbean to take a little bit of the edge off.

Here are some Caribbean cocktails to make right now.

Mezcalina

This exotic cocktail straight from JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa’s 150 Margaritas Menu strikes the perfect balance between the smoky notes of mezcal and the refreshing and tropical hints of orange.

Ingredients:

• • 1 ½ oz Tequila (Preferably Tierra Noble Reposado)
• • 1 oz Cointreau
• • 1 oz Mezcal
• • ½ oz Simple syrup
• • 1 oz Orange juice
• • ¾ oz Lemon juice
• • Tajin seasoning for rim

Directions:

Pour all ingredients in a shaker glass and muddle together. Add ice and shake. Line the glass rim with Tajin seasoning (if available). Pour ingredients into the glass, and garnish with an orange slice. Enjoy.

¡Oye! Juanjo

Transport your taste buds to the tropical Dutch island of Curaçao with this refreshing pineapple and tequila infusion from the Caña Bar + Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• • 1 ¾ oz Blanco Tequila (preferably Don Julio Blanco)
• • 1 ½ oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
• • 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• • ⅓ oz Fresh Ginger Juice
• • ½ oz Agave Nectar

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake and fine strain in a tumbler with crushed ice. Top up with crushed ice and serve.

Enchanted Forest

The Wymara Resort & Villas in the Turks & Caicos enchanting backdrop of Grace Bay Beach, paired with mixologist Paolo Pattitucci’s European travels, inspired the flavors of this vibrant cocktail.

Ingredients:

• • 1 ½ oz Star of Bombay Gin
• • 1 teaspoon Organic Raspberry Jam
• • 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• • ¾ oz Ginger & Lemongrass Syrup
• • 1 ¼ oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
• • Fresh raspberries

Directions:

Combine all of the above ingredients on ice in a cocktail mixer. Shake for a few seconds then double-strain in a martini coupe glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Piña Colada

Straight from the birthplace of the piña colada, this recipe from the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico dates back to the 1950’s and is one of the most popular tropical cocktails to date.

Ingredients:

• • 2 oz Rum (we recommend Puerto Rico’s Ron del Barrilito)
• • 1 oz Coconut Cream
• • 1 oz Heavy Cream
• • 6 oz Pineapple Juice
• • ½ cup Crushed Ice

Directions:

Mix rum, cream of coconut, heavy cream and pineapple juice in a blender. Add ice and mix for 15 seconds. Serve in a 12 oz glass and garnish with fresh pineapple and a cherry.

Mango Madness

Mango lovers can tap into the tastes of the island Saint Lucia with a delicious blend of fresh mango, lime juice and rum in this recipe from the Jade Mountain.

Ingredients:

• • 1 ½ oz Bounty Rum
• • 3 oz Fresh Mango Puree
• • 1 teaspoon Lime Juice
• • 1 teaspoon Simple Syrup
• • 1 dash of Bitters

Directions: 

Put the rum, mango puree, lime juice and bitters in a shaker. Cover and shake quick and hard. Strain into a large tumbler filled with ice. Garnish with a fresh mango slice.

Aruba Mule

Sip the refreshing flavors of the ‘One Happy Island’ with an aloe-inspired concoction mixed with ginger beer, mint and fresh lemon from the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino in Palm Beach, Aruba.

Ingredients:

• • 1 ¼ oz Vodka
• • 2 oz Aloe Vera Juice
• • ¼ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• • ¼ oz Simple Syrup
• • 4 oz Ginger Beer
• • Mint Leaves

Directions:

Fill a copper mule mug or a mason jar with ice. Add vodka, aloe vera juice, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup to the glass. Top with ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish with mint leaves.

Rum Swizzle

Dating back to the mid-18th century, this cocktail has a history of making patrons ‘swizzle’ around the dance floor (or their living rooms) after a few. Recipe courtesy of Hedonism II in Negril, Jamaica.

Ingredients:

• • 1 oz Rum
• • 1 ½ Lime Juice
• • 3 dashes of Bitters
• • Club Soda
• • 2 dashes of Fruit Syrup

Directions: 

Pour rum, lime juice, bitters, and fruit syrup ingredients into a glass filled with ice, add club soda and stir. Garnish with a cherry and pineapple slice.

Alexander Britell is the founder and Editor in Chief as well as contributing writer to the popular online magazine/website, the Caribbean Journal, based in Miami, Florida. We are happy to have him and his staff contributing to the OTC and our Caribbean Connection Section. Check out the Journal at caribjournal.com for valuable information on all fabulous travel options and things of interest in the Caribbean.