posh woman with hat and sunglasses sunbathing and drinking a Pina Colada cocktail at poolside
A tropical escape is the best thing to do in winter or any other year. A tropical escape buzzing with delicious cocktails is the best. You can find anything with surf and sand that will offer you sweetened, processed food and an umbrella.
Bermuda
Bermuda is the home of Gosling’s Rum, so any night can be a Dark and Stormy Night if you wish. Alastair Jack is the partnerships and promotions manager at Bermuda Tourism Authority. “Rum is part the culture.” The local version of this popular cocktail is more potent than the Stateside version. If you ask for Barritt’s Bermuda Stone ginger ale, it will be even more fiery. This is another native ingredient that, like Gosling’s was created by a British transplant in the 1800s. It has an extra-gingery bite.
A Rum Swizzle is a fruitier option. You can also get it at SwizzleInn which is the oldest pub on the island and claims to be the inventor of the national drink. Although it’s touristy, it’s worth a visit. This particular Swizzle is made with Goslings Black Seal Rum, falernum, orange, lemon, and pineapple juices.
The island’s 20.6-mile area is filled with hidden gems that offer a refreshing change of pace. Both Devil’s Isle, and The Martini Bar @ Barracuda Grill are two of the most notable destinations in Hamilton. Devil’s Isle is a sister restaurant that takes the farm-to-table concept seriously. It serves mouthwatering drinks made from hand-pressed juices and house-made liquors, often with flavored foams.
Barracuda Grill’s Martini Bar offers more than its name suggests. Ryan Gibbons, the bartender at Barracuda Grill, is an award-winning chef who hand-pressed citrus. He also incorporates seasonal flora like Surinam cherries, loquats, and prickly pear. He describes the official menu as “bold, spirit-forward, with an accent on high standards in technique.” However, many patrons prefer to be completely free to ask Ryan Gibbons for their favorite or least favorite items. They know he will convince them otherwise.
British Virgin Islands
It is almost a right of passage to get a Painkiller from Soggy Dollar Bar in Jost Van Dyke. It’s a popular tourist spot, but the chilled vibe and the delicious rum drink that it created back in the 1970s are so appealing that both locals as well as expats enjoy swigging there. Rebecca Kinnear is a senior editor at Islands magazine. “The bar will tell yo what it contains but not the proportions,” she says.
You have many more options. Take a water taxi to get around. At Rum bar at Cooper Island Beach Club you will find 160 rums, all from different countries, as a result of an active exchange with captains. Glen Rooney, the manager, says that Painkillers are not allowed here unless requested. “We love inventing our cocktails,” says Glen Rooney.
Scaramouche , the husband and wife team behind Scaramouche , is from Tortola. The coffee and wine are both Italian, but the vibe is Caribbean. He’s the bartender who’s open to trying new things. She’s the chef. Virgin Gorda: Have a drink at CocoMaya. This creative cocktail menu features tongue-in-cheek options such as the Sucker Punch. It is a gin-and-St-Germain elderflower liqueur that contains condensed milk and cherry and grapefruit juices.
Cuba
Cuba may seem a bit unfair given its small size in comparison to other tropical-isle destinations. It’s difficult to overlook a place so rich in cocktail history. This is where the Mojito was born, and Daiquiri was inspired. It’s also the home to many other musical styles that make drinking even more enjoyable. While critics may claim that state-run bars lack creativity, many are well worth the effort due to their rich history.
El Floridita is where Ernest Hemingway sipped his Hemingway Daiquiris; La Bodeguita del Medio where he enjoyed his Mojitos; and the Hotel Nacional de Cuba where you should go (what else?). Enjoy a Hotel Nacional cocktail while admiring the Malecon from your back yard.
