The recipe
for your table
Fill a long drink glass to the rim with ice cubes.
Pour the coconut rum over the ice.
Top up with chilled pineapple juice and stir once with a bar spoon.
Garnish with a wedge of fresh pineapple on the rim of the glass.
The story
Malibu came onto the market in 1980, created to solve one specific problem: the Piña Colada was hugely popular but too laborious for a busy bar. A ready-made coconut rum made it possible to approximate that flavour in a single pour. It worked - and worked so well that within ten years the bottle was on every shelf worldwide, with its white colour and beach-themed label as its trademarks. The combination with pineapple juice was never officially named; it is simply called 'Malibu pineapple', and that is precisely the charm of this cocktail.
The right glass
A tall long drink glass of 33 to 47 cl is the right choice here. This cocktail is mild, so a generous glass with plenty of ice makes it refreshing rather than weak - unlike with strong cocktails, where extra volume works against you. Choose clear glass so the cloudy, pale yellow colour of the pineapple juice remains visible. Serving it in the garden or by the pool? Go for a thick-walled, stackable model that can take a knock.
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Long Drink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Islande Long Drink Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 35,90 — enough for the whole garden.
The right tool
For a Malibu cocktail, in addition to the glass, you use a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, and glass straws. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you’ll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools - together € 61,80.
Variations & twists
Malibu with cola is at least as popular in the Netherlands as the pineapple version, and cranberry juice gives you a fresh, pink variation. Add white rum if you want it stronger, or coconut cream for something along the lines of a Piña Colada. A splash of blue curaçao turns it into a Swimming Pool-style drink. Find more inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Shake the carton of pineapple juice well - the pulp settles at the bottom, and that pulp is what gives the cocktail its body. At 21 percent, Malibu is relatively light, so don’t be too sparing with the rum: with too little, you’ll mainly taste juice. Serve with a straw and a generous garnish; this cocktail is allowed to look excessively tropical, as that’s part of the genre.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Malibu cocktail?
A highball glass holding 33 to 47 cl. View our highball glasses.
What is the best mixer for Malibu?
Pineapple juice is the classic. Cola and cranberry juice also work well; orange juice works less well because it clashes with the coconut.
How much alcohol is in Malibu?
Usually 21 percent - clearly lower than regular rum. In the proportions above, you end up with a long drink of about 6 percent.
Can you make a Malibu cocktail alcohol-free?
Yes: use coconut syrup or coconut water with a splash of vanilla syrup instead of the rum. Top up with pineapple juice and you’ll get almost the same flavor.
Everything for your bar,
to one address
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