Strawberry Serenade

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Cocktail History

The Strawberry Serenade is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created for National Strawberry Day after being asked to make a recipe specifically for Mozart Distillery Chocolate Strawberry Liqueur. The drink opts for a dessert-style template that calls for rum accented with the sweet fruit liqueur and chocolate bitters, but instead of the usual heavy cream base, I chose cream of coconut to give it more balance and a dreamy texture. Its name is also a nod to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, an influential composer from the Classical period and the inspiration for the distillery’s name.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for an extended period of time. I used Ron Cihuatán 8 Year Indigo Rum.

Chocolate Strawberry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with white chocolate, strawberries, bourbon vanilla, sugar, and alcohol. I used Mozart Distillery Chocolate Strawberry Liqueur.

Cream of Coconut: This is a thick cream made with coconut milk, sugar, citric acid, and other ingredients. I used Coco Lopez Real Cream of Coconut.

Chocolate Bitters: This is a food product made with chocolate, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters.

Strawberry: This a small red fruit that is soft and juicy and has yellow seeds on its skin.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry: This is a small red fruit that has been dipped in melted chocolate.

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.

Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. I used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.

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.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Faint pink color

• Aroma: Fresh strawberry and dreamy coconut

• Taste: Creamy and sweet strawberry, chocolate, and coconut flavor with a hint of rum spice

• Finish: More chocolate and fruit

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “I was already a big fan of Mozart Distillery’s liqueurs after I started swapping out the coffee liqueur and chocolate bitters used in one of my all-time favorite drinks, the Mocha Spiked Horchata, for Mozart’s Coffee Chocolate Liqueur last year. That one’s since become a go-to, so I was excited to try out the strawberry version. Most assume you’d go with a cream-based template when making a recipe with it, but I ended up choosing cream of coconut instead of dairy. Oh man, does it give the drink such a magical texture! I would describe it as taking a sip of a strawberry cloud—light, airy, a little fruity, and very easy going down. The Strawberry Serenade would be a hit for Galentine’s Day or anytime you want to enjoy a sweeter pink drink with your ladies!”

Recipe