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Cocktail History
The Nui Nui is a classic tiki cocktail that was created by Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s at his bar in Hollywood, California. A rather unknown concoction of Don’s for many years, it wasn’t until Jeff “Beachbum” Berry dug deep into the history of tiki when writing his book Sippin’ Safari that this recipe was revived. This version from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette is as close to the original as possible with its Jamaican rum base, cinnamon and vanilla syrups that would’ve been considered exotic at the time, and combination of citrus juices typical for tiki.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gold Rum: This is the base spirit. We used Wray & Nephew Gold Jamaican Rum because it’s high quality yet still affordable, full flavored while still being lighter than other rums, and lends exotic spice flavors to the finish of the drink. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Dark & Spicy Tropical Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the rum.
Orange Juice: This adds sweet citrus flavors for balance. We prefer fresh orange juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes better.
Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors. Again, we prefer fresh lime juice.
Cinnamon Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cinnamon sticks, sugar, and water. We made ours using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Vanilla Syrup: This is a sweetener made with vanilla pods, sugar, and water. We also made this syrup using Alex’s recipe.
St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram: This is a liqueur made with allspice berries and smoky Jamaican pot-stilled rum. If you can’t find St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, you can also increase the amount of Angostura aromatic bitters for a slightly different but similar flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try a homemade allspice Demerara syrup in place of the allspice dram.
Angostura Aromatic Bitters: This is a type of spirit infused with botanicals. They add more spice and complexity to the drink and tie the other flavors together. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the bitters.
Orange Twist: This is one of the garnishes. It adds more fresh citrus aroma.
Cinnamon Stick: This is the other garnish. We used cinnamon sticks from the bulk section at our local grocery store.
Tasting Notes
The Nui Nui combines aromas of orange, cinnamon, and funky Jamaican rum and has a taste that harmonizes the spirit, fruitiness, and baking spice zing with tart lime for balance. The aftertaste then leaves a lingering cinnamon note on the tongue, making this cocktail exceptionally unique for the uninitiated.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We were both big fans of this drink for its noticeable inclusion of spices and its sweet but not cloying flavor. We’ll definitely be adding it to our summer rotation!
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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This drink, like the majority of tiki drinks I’ve ever had, is quite good. It exists mostly to showcase the orange flavor, the spiciness of cinnamon, and sweetness of vanilla, while all of the other flavors play a supporting role. Overall, it’s balanced and inoffensive. I would make it again!”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One word: Yum! Thanks to its baking spice flavor, this cocktail reminded me a lot of the Iron Ranger, just lighter and sweeter. If you’re not keen on a bourbon base for a tiki drink, maybe start with this one. It’s quite unique and very delicious, and it’s whiskey flavor is masked well enough by the other ingredients so it’s not overpowering.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.
Add rum, orange juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, vanilla syrup, allspice dram, bitters, and cracked ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with orange twist and cinnamon stick.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rum, orange juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, vanilla syrup, allspice dram, bitters, and cracked ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball or tiki glass over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with orange twist and cinnamon stick.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Caleño Dark & Spicy Tropical Non-Alcoholic Spirit in place of the rum, homemade allspice Demerara syrup in place of the allspice dram, and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
![[240 Count] Umbrella Cocktail Drink Picks - Assorted Tropical Colors Party Toothpicks](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41m2LwkpT+L._SL160_.jpg)
More Tiki Cocktails
If you like this tiki cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Elusive Dreams: A rum cocktail made with pineapple juice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, banana liqueur, and a pineapple wedge
Staycation: A rum and whiskey cocktail made with lemon juice, coconut cream, apricot liqueur, passion fruit syrup, a lemon slice, and mint
Ginger Inferno: A rum cocktail made with ginger liqueur, velvet falernum liqueur, lime juice, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, a lime slice, and candied ginger
Zombie: A rum cocktail made with velvet falernum liqueur, Donn’s mix, lime juice, absinthe, grenadine, Angostura aromatic bitters, and mint
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