Angostura Colada

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Cocktail History

The Angostura Colada is a tiki cocktail that was created by Zac Overman at L’Oursin in Seattle, Washington. It takes the classic template for the Piña Colada and dials it up by using a hefty dose of aromatic bitters as one of the base spirits. It then pairs them with rum, pineapple cream of coconut, citrus, and nutmeg to create a uniquely-flavored spicy recipe that has since become a favorite among modern imbibers.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Aromatic Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with a blend of herbs, spices, roots, and botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop an aromatic, bittersweet flavor.

Overproof Rum: This is a type of rum that has over 50% alcohol content and is made with molasses or sugar cane juice and alcohol that is filtered and bottled right away without the aging process. I used J. Wray & Nephew Overproof White Rum.

Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe pineapples that has a sweet, tangy tropical flavor and bright yellow color.

Cream of Coconut: This is a condiment made with coconut cream or coconut milk and sugar, which are blended and emulsified into a thick, rich spread.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Orange Slice: This is the liquid juice of an orange. I used freshly squeezed orange juice.

Pineapple Fronds: This the leaf of a pineapple.

Nutmeg: This is a spice made from the seeds of the nutmeg tree, which are dried and grated for their warm, aromatic flavor.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I 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. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices. I used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.

Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. I used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer for the citrus and the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer for the pineapple.

Grater: This is used to grate spices or citrus peel. I used the OXO Good Grips Grater.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Dark red color

• Aroma: Nutmeg and other spices

• Taste: Bold, heavy allspice flavor complemented by fruity pineapple and coconut

• Finish: Lingering rum and baking spices

Kendall’s Take: “If you just saw a photo of this drink and didn’t see the list of ingredients, you’d probably expect this to be a tropical version of a Bloody Mary from the color and consistency alone, but it couldn’t be further from that. Although probably not one I will request very often because I lean toward craving fruitier tiki cocktails, the Angostura Colada is incredibly fascinating and would be a likely hit with those already obsessed with the bitters’ spicy flavor. It really is just savory and unique as hell, and that’s why it earns four stars from me.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.