The King of Latin Trap has won Album of the Year (and is about to take over Super Bowl LX). Here’s what to sip to celebrate.
1. Piña Colada
Yep, you guessed it, the Piña Colada is the official drink of Puerto Rico. Like Bad Bunny, it’s an icon. That blend of rum, coconut cream, lime and pineapple creates the perfect creaminess – it’s fruity, it’s sweet and it’s all thanks to Ramon ‘Monchito’ Marrero. Ramon dreamed up this ‘holiday in a glass’ way back in the 1950s when he was a bartender at Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton Hotel. And aren’t we lucky he did? It’s become such a cult favourite that there’s even an annual day of celebration – Piña Colada Day takes place on 10 July. We love Husk Rum Bam Bam for the spiced rum base and then you'll need coconut cream, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, pineapple juice and your Angostura bitters (pro tip: you’ll need a blender). Call your mates, whip up a round of these babies and serve them in hurricane glasses alongside a plate of fish tacos. Siri, play ‘VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR’.
Bad Bunny album to match: DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.
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Click image to shop
2. Coquito
Coquito is a rich rum- and coconut-based holiday punch that’s also known as Puerto Rican eggnog. Naturally it’s a Christmas favourite, but we’re petitioning to make it a year-round drink. Coquito is a simple mix of coconut milk (or cream of coconut), evaporated milk, rum, vanilla and cinnamon (and nutmeg, if that’s your thing). Every family has their own recipe, but the ingredients are blended (although some people use a stove and saucepan), and it’s unanimously that you must serve Coquito ice-cold. For the rum, of course, we’re using the Puerto Rican Bacardi Carta Blanca to bring notes of almond, grilled pineapple and a little ginger. Serve Coquito neat, or pour over a large ice block, sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Bad Bunny album to match: Un Verano Sin Ti.
3. Spiced Cherry
The Spiced Cherry, also Cherry Rum or Spiced Cherry Cola, is a staple in Puerto Rican bars. Now, it doesn’t quite have the fame of a Piña Colada, but we really think it should. This is a blend of spiced rum (we like Sailor Jerry) and cherry cola (throwback), usually cherry-flavoured Coca-Cola or Pepsi, but whatever you can get your hands on will do the trick. To build the Spiced Cherry, fill a highball with ice, then pour in 45mL of spiced rum and top it with cherry cola. Garnish with a lime wedge (squeeze a little juice into the drink), gently stir with a bar spoon and drop in a couple of maraschino cherries to finish. We love this al fresco as we watch the sun go down.
Bad Bunny album to match: Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.
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Click image to shop
4. Bacardi Spiced Rum
Whether you serve it neat, on the rocks or with a mixer, spiced rum is the MVP. And if we’re talking Puerto Rican drinks, it’s pretty hard to go past Bacardi Spiced Rum. It's aged rum that has a little smokiness – thanks to charred American oak barrels – a little vanilla and cinnamon, along with a hint of black pepper and fudge. There are a few mixers that you really can’t go wrong with (we’re talking soda water, ginger ale and cola, for starters). But our favourite? Bacardi’s Pineapple Potion, which is a very specific 44mL of Bacardi Spiced Rum and 89mL of pineapple juice. Fill your glass with ice, pour in the rum, top with pineapple juice and garnish with a pineapple wedge. That’s what we call a two-ingredient touchdown. And you know what pairs really bloody well with pineapple and rum? Prawns.
Bad Bunny album to match: YHLQMDLG.
