Few drinks look as happy as a Piña Colada: a tall glass, crushed ice, a wedge of pineapple and a palm leaf. The name is Spanish for “strained pineapple”, and the idea is as simple as it sounds: rum, coconut and pineapple.
Born in Puerto Rico
The drink is most often credited to bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero, said to have created it in 1954 at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan. Other bartenders in San Juan have also claimed the recipe, so the exact story is still debated. What is not debated is the place: in 1978 Puerto Rico named the Piña Colada its official drink.
What goes in the glass
A classic Piña Colada has three parts: white rum, coconut cream and pineapple juice, shaken or blended with ice. The International Bartenders Association lists 50 ml white rum, 30 ml coconut cream and 50 ml pineapple juice.
Frozen or on the rocks
Blended with ice, it turns thick and frosty, the way most people picture it on a beach. Shaken and poured over crushed ice, it is lighter and a little sharper. Both are right, so it comes down to the weather and the mood.
Want to make one at home? See our guide to the best rum for a Piña Colada, with a Beach Heaven twist. Enjoy responsibly.