Not So Tiki

Written By Shay
Not So Tiki white-rum cocktail with grapefruit, tamarind and a charred-pineapple garnish

The idea behind Not So Tiki was to build a cocktail around a chocolate bar's pineapple and tamarind notes — tiki-adjacent in spirit, but built with a little more restraint and a lot more char. Charring the pineapple upfront brings a smoky, caramelized depth that pulls the drink away from typical tropical sweetness and toward something a bit darker and more complex.

Not So Tiki white-rum cocktail with grapefruit, tamarind and a charred-pineapple garnish

Ingredients

  • 2.5 oz white rum (Flor de Caña 4 Year)

  • 0.75 oz Sozu

  • 0.5 oz grapefruit juice

  • 0.25 oz pineapple juice

  • 2 bar spoons tamarind syrup (equal parts tamarind solids and sugar)

  • Angostura bitters

Steps

  1. Char a few pieces of pineapple over an open flame and let cool.

  2. Add two dashes of bitters, the tamarind syrup, and two pieces of charred pineapple to a shaker.

  3. Muddle the charred pineapple.

  4. Add the remaining ingredients.

  5. Add ice and shake quickly to your preferred dilution and chill.

  6. Double strain into your glass of choice.

  7. Garnish with a piece of charred pineapple and a couple of pineapple fronds.

Pineapple and tamarind rum cocktail paired with Chequessett Costa Esmeraldas dark chocolate

Paired With

72% Costa Esmeralds, Ecuador Cacao from Chequessett Chocolate

This 72% bar from Chequessett Chocolate, a maker based on Cape Cod, MA, is crafted from Arriba Nacional hybrid clones alongside Acriollado varietal beans, with notes of pineapple, tamarind, and fudge. Not So Tiki was built to amplify those same pineapple and tamarind notes rather than compete with them — the charred pineapple and tamarind syrup echoing the bar directly, while the dry rum base and bitters keep the pairing from tipping into overt sweetness.

Shay