Elaborate, multi-step craft cocktails with bitter, pucker-inducing profiles have their time and place. We love Old Fashioneds, Martinis, and Sazeracs as much as the next spirits aficionado, but as Teddy Roosevelt once wisely pointed out, “comparison is the thief of joy.” Today, we’re celebrating, sweet, smooth, and accessible Malibu.
The popular coconut-flavored white rum brand, which is technically a liqueur, hit the 1980s cocktail scene, back when its name was still Coco Rico, with full force. Some purist mixologists write Malibu off as a relic of the era – an anything-goes free-for-all time that birthed such prodigal, neon-hued spawn as the Harvey Wallbanger and the Blue Hawaiian. But, happily for rum fans, Malibu’s timeless, year-round summertime feel can channel beachy days and poolside plays, and it’s equally as versatile as a mixer ingredient. The scope of this friendly spirit extends far beyond the realm of Piña Coladas, and as far as mixers go, it works with way more than just the pineapple juice for which it’s known.
The Bikini Martini cocktail comprises just Malibu, pineapple juice, vodka, and ice. Even the official Malibu website’s FAQ page names pineapple juice as its very first suggestion for ways to enjoy Malibu. Indeed, pineapple juice works well alongside the spirit’s coconut flavor, but don’t let this pairing limit your imagination. To get the brainstorm rolling, we’ve rounded up the best mixers to keep stocked in your home bar for enjoying Malibu (that aren’t pineapple juice).
Give Coca-Cola and Malibu a go
A slightly sweeter take on the staple rum and Coke, the coconut-tinged Malibu and Coke bring a fizzy sharpness and a slightly savory roundness that take both of the titular ingredients to the next level. Plus, at 21% ABV, Malibu packs half the strength of a full-proof spirit like tequila, vodka, or regular rum at 40%, yielding a significantly tamer midday sipper.
Pro tip: Malibu and Coke is a great take-along for outdoor concerts and picnics. Just pack a cooler with a few cans of cola and a few 50-ml. bottles of Malibu, and then combine the two ingredients to serve and sip away. There’s no cup needed here, either; simply take a gulp of the cola to free up some room in the can, and then dump in the Malibu pocket-jammer and gently swirl to mix. The cola stays fizzy, and the Malibu stays chilled. You could toss in a few maraschino cherries for a boozy take on the Roy Rogers mocktail. Or, garnish your Malibu and Coke with a lime wedge for a coconutty Cuba Libre.
Citrus juices work well with Malibu, too
It would be impossible to discuss this tiki-drink staple ingredient without mentioning citrus juices — specifically, orange, lime, and grapefruit. Mixed with Malibu, these bright juices create impressive vibrancy and freshness in a low-prep, two-part highball.
Try mixing Malibu and fresh lime juice with fizzy tonic water for a zesty-herbaceous highball, garnished with a few fresh mint leaves. For a more pronounced mint flavor, muddle a few leaves in the bottom of the glass before assembling your drink, complex without being overwhelming. Or, if you prefer a sweeter daiquiri-style bevy, swap the tonic water for coconut cream, shaking the Malibu, lime juice, and coconut cream with ice and then straining it into a coupe glass. And for the record, when building a successful tropical drink, there’s an important difference between coconut milk and coconut cream.
Malibu and orange juice make an easy porch sipper for low-key weekend afternoons or pre-dinner aperativo-hour drinks on slow summer nights. Serve this two-parter in a bell-bottomed tulip glass for a fancy-feeling touch. You could also add a splash of grenadine for a coconutty take on a classic Tequila Sunrise. The cherry-coconut flair balances the citrusy tones and lush mouthfeel of the orange juice. If tangy, acidic grapefruit juice is more your style, a splash of mild, tempering Malibu would bring instant counterbalance. You could even add a splash of pineapple juice to this one and garnish it with a fresh grapefruit sail perched on the rim.
Lemonade and Malibu are a dreamy combination
A drink made with Malibu and lemonade borrows from the iconic, sunshine-hued Malibu and pineapple combo, juxtaposing lemonade’s bright acidity with Malibu’s coconutty mildness. With this duo, it’s all about ultra-refreshing sweet-sour interplay. Garnish this one with a maraschino cherry skewer and/or a few cheerful edible flowers like golden calendulas, delicate chamomile flowers, or pink cherry blossoms. Just be sure to pick flowers at their peak blossom for maximum freshness. Chilling it with pebble ice would increase dilution, thinning out the mouthfeel for a less acidic sip and adding a fun textural element for playful sipping.
You can serve this amiable combo in a rocks glass or bring it to the beach in a large tumbler cup. Malibu and lemonade would also make a fantastic batched cocktail to serve in a large drink dispenser at parties and potlucks. If you have a see-through glass drink dispenser, float a few fresh lemon wheels for an aesthetically pleasing visual. Hosting a dinner party? If you’re in a pinch, you could even swap the lemon-lime soda for lemonade in this fully-loaded Malibu Barbie cocktail, which combines Malibu rum, pineapple juice, hibiscus, cranberry, lemon-lime soda, and pink rimming sugar.
Coffee and Malibu make a delicious pick-me-up
Nothin’ wrong with a little ripper in the morning cuppa joe. Step aside, whiskey — there’s a new java spirit in town, and her name is Malibu. Just a splash of this coconut rum could add dimensional flavor and subtle punch to cold brews, hot drips, Americanos, and lattes. Malibu would instantly level up the already-punchy Vietnamese iced coffee, which combines strongly brewed black robusta beans with luscious sweetened condensed milk. Thanks to its relatively low ABV, Malibu won’t curdle the milk or other cream-based coffee ingredients upon adding it.
The naturally complementary flavor pairing of coconut and coffee beans also works in the cocktail realm. Add a shot of Malibu to elevate your go-to chocolate cocktails, which frequently include a coffee liqueur like Kahlúa. You could try adding a shot of creme de cacao or another chocolate liqueur to your coffee drinks for intense richness and a velvety mouthfeel. That coconut rum would perform fabulously in a creamy Grasshopper or a silky Brandy Alexander. Malibu could even bring a note of accessibility to a deep, robust espresso martini made with Mr. Black cold brew liqueur. Or, add a shot of Malibu to this frozen Nutella mudslide for a coconut-hazelnut ice cream dream come true.
Raspberry Stoli and Malibu create a wondrous cocktail
In the cocktail world, 21% ABV Malibu often appears in tandem with other full-proof spirits, which add the boozy punch that tame Malibu can’t deliver on its own. Malibu’s coconut flavor works magic on a cocktail’s tasting notes without overhauling the potency, which is where Raspberry Stoli comes in. This drink is a bright, crisp, and clear vodka spiked with a ripe raspberry flavor. Stoli is renowned for its natural-tasting vodka flavors, absent of the artificiality or viscous, syrupy texture some folks might expect from a flavored spirit.
Stoli’s full-bodied raspberry flavor is great on its own in a rocks glass over ice, but it also makes a killer cocktail ingredient, especially alongside equally full-bodied Malibu. The berry’s brightness meets sweet coconut tones for a profile that’s instantly complex, no extra prep steps or mixology know-how required. Stoli is also an ultra-affordable bar staple (a 1.75-liter bottle costs $30.99 via TotalWine).
Fizzy club soda would let this flavorful duo shine on its own, and you could pop a few fresh raspberries in there to float. Or, for a sipper that’s as smooth and lively as they come, combine Malibu, Raspberry Stoli, and Sprite in an ice-filled Collins glass. Alternatively, instead of Sprite, sweet tea would deepen the raspberry-coconut flavor profile here, and you could customize the sweetness level as you please by adjusting the sugar content in your brewed tea.
