Greena Colada

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Cocktail History

The Greena Colada is a modern tiki cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, 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 fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then typically left unaged or briefly aged and filtered to develop a light, spiced flavor.

Pineapple Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged and infused with pineapple to develop a spiced, tropical flavor.

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged, often in charred barrels, to develop a full-bodied, caramelized flavor.

Triple Sec: This is a liqueur made with bitter orange peels, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, bright citrus flavor.

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

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with a blend of 130 plants, bark, roots, spices, and flowers, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are macerated, blended, and then aged to develop a complex, herbal flavor.

Velvet Falernum Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with limes, almonds, cloves, ginger root, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, spiced Caribbean flavor.

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.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

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. 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.

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. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Pale green-yellow color

• Aroma: Mint, fruit, and coconut

• Taste: Blast of rum, pineapple, and coconut flavors with tangy citrus and slight ginger

• Finish: Coconut, anise, and a blend of herbs

Kendall’s Take: “Take it from me: You should skip the original Piña Colada and go straight to making this Chartreuse-laced version because it is so much better than the OG! Be careful not to have more than two tops though. I’ll be honest, the first time I tasted the Greena Colada 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