Nui Nui

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Cocktail History

The Nui Nui is a classic tiki cocktail that was created in the 1930s by Don the Beachcomber at his bar in Hollywood, California. A rather unknown concoction of Don’s for many years, it wasn’t until Jeff “Beachbum” Berry dug into the history of tiki when writing his book Sippin’ Safari that this recipe was revived. This version 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:

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.

Orange Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe oranges that has a light, sweet citrus flavor and pale orange color.

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

Cinnamon Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cinnamon sticks, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a spiced, aromatic flavor.

Vanilla Syrup: This is a sweetener made with vanilla beans, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a sweet, aromatic flavor.

Allspice Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with allspice berries, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended, infused, and sometimes aged to develop a warm, spiced flavor.

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.

Orange Twist: This is the peel of an orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

Cinnamon Stick: This is a spice made from dried and rolled bark of the cinnamon tree that has a warm, sweet-spicy 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.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. 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.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Orange-yellow color

• Aroma: Citrus, cinnamon, and funky rum

• Taste: Spicy and fruity flavor with a zing of tart orange and lime, baking spices, and noticeable rum

• Finish: Lingering cinnamon note

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 the Nui Nui. It’s quite unique and very delicious, and its whiskey flavor is masked well enough by the other ingredients so it’s not overpowering.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the book Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.