New Style Tradewinds Tiki Drink

November 13, 2023 • Beverages,

During the lockdown of the pandemic in 2020, I worked to perfect a recipe for an old fashioned. Mine is a bit different than a traditional one, but it’s yummy and it became my go to cocktail. Until I went to San Juan, Puerto Rico and discovered two things: coconut washing and Barrilito rum.Coconut washing (or fat washing with another flavorful fat like bacon fat) is much easier than it sounds like. You simply mix the fat in its liquid form with the alcohol, let it meld on the counter for a couple of hours, then freeze it to make the fat solidify. Cut a whole in the fat cap, drain out the alcohol, and you’re ready to make a cocktail!The resulting fat washed alcohol has a rich flavor and a nice viscosity to it. I’ve done it with both bourbon and rum, but my very favorite is with Barrilito Rum, from the oldest producer of rum on the island. It’s nothing like your standard rum used in a classic rum and coke drink. Because it’s aged in sherry casks with a bunch of spices, it takes on a rich, complex flavor more akin to bourbon than rum. And it’s perfect for this cocktail. Take note that I tend to make my cocktails a double so as to skip making a second one, but if you want yours lighter, just cut the recipe in half.