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Cocktail History
The Greena Colada is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created as a variation of the Piña Colada. Inspired after reading through Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, & the Cult of Tiki by Martin Cate, the recipe adds a healthy dose of Green Chartreuse, which is where its name is derived, to the classic’s mix of rum, pineapple, citrus, and coconut flavors.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
White Rum: This is a type of rum made with molasses or sugar cane juice and a neutral spirit that is filtered and bottled right away without the aging process. We used BACARDÍ Superior White Rum because it has a soft and slightly sweet rum flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic White Cane Spirit in place of the white rum.
Pineapple Rum: This is a type of rum made with pineapple, molasses or sugar cane juice, and alcohol. We used Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple Rum because it has a rich rum taste with notes of tropical fruits, citrus, and cloves. For a mocktail version of this drink, try homemade pineapple syrup in place of the pineapple rum.
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and alcohol that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Mount Gay Eclipse Rum because it has notes of banana, vanilla, caramel, and spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Ritual Zero Proof Rum Alternative in place of the dark rum.
Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter oranges, lemons, sugar, and alcohol. We used Cointreau because it’s one of the highest quality orange liqueurs on the market. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Orange Sec Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the orange liqueur.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with over a hundred herbs and plants, spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try winter herb syrup in place of the Green Chartreuse.
Velvet Falernum Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with ginger, lime, almond, cloves, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try BG Reynolds Falernum Bar Syrup in place of the velvet falernum liqueur.
Cream of Coconut: This is a thick cream made with coconut milk, sugar, citric acid, and other ingredients. We used Coco Lopez Real Cream of Coconut because it has a rich flavor and silky texture.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. We used Mojito mint.
Lime Wheel: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a circular shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Greena Colada is preceded by the cool smell of mint before the first taste blasts you with the mixture of rums, a hint of pineapple, and spice of the falernum, which lingers refreshingly with the citrus. It finishes with the very unique pairing of coconut and anise that will leave you wanting another sip even if it’s just to contemplate the flavors more.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Consider this your warning: This drink is incredibly delicious but not to be trifled with. We had a couple of these the first time we tried the Greena Colada and enjoyed them so much that, in the state we were in, you could’ve convinced us we were actually on a desert island in the sun.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I came up with this drink while neck-deep in Smuggler’s Cove, reading about all of the crazy tiki concoctions that the bartenders of old would come up with. This was basically the culmination of my wanting to introduce Green Chartreuse into a tiki drink and, from there, throwing some things together until it worked, which is more or less the basis of most tiki cocktails. Though this one admittedly has the “a little of this, a little of that” problem that a lot of tiki drinks do, it works so damn well that it can’t be ignored. And when coming up with the name, I literally said it out loud as a joke, but Kendall thought it was just tongue-in-cheek enough to work so it stuck.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Take it from me: skip the original Piña Colada and go straight to making this Chartreuse-laced version because it is so much better than the original! Be careful not to have more than two tops though. I’ll be honest, the first time I tasted this cocktail I loved it so much that I had a couple more and don’t remember much about the rest of the night. It is dangerously delicious.”
Recipe
Add white rum, pineapple rum, dark rum, triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, velvet falernum liqueur, crème of coconut, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with mint sprig and lime wheel.
Ingredients
Directions
Add white rum, pineapple rum, dark rum, triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, velvet falernum liqueur, crème of coconut, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with mint sprig and lime wheel.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic White Cane Spirit in place of the white rum, homemade pineapple syrup in place of the pineapple rum, Ritual Zero Proof Rum Alternative in place of the dark rum, Lyre’s Orange Sec Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the orange liqueur, winter herb syrup in place of the Green Chartreuse, and BG Reynolds Falernum Bar Syrup in place of the velvet falernum liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Tiki Cocktails
If you like this tiki cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Tia Mia: A mezcal and rum cocktail made with lime juice, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup, a lime wheel, a mint sprig, and an orchid blossom
Ginger Inferno: A rum cocktail made with ginger liqueur, velvet falernum liqueur, lime juice, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, a lime slice, and candied ginger
Privateer: A tequila cocktail made with passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice, lime juice, smoke and salt bitters, rosemary, and Tajín
Donga Punch: A rhum agricole cocktail made with Don’s mix, lime juice, a grapefruit twist, a cinnamon stick, and an orchid blossom
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