Why Tiki-Inspired Cocktails Are Making a Splash Right Now

From The Coral Wig’s Painkiller to The Duchess’s Pirate Princess, tiki-inspired cocktails—bold, boozy, juicy, and often over-the-top—are enjoying a renaissance.

“There are a few factors as to why tiki or tropical cocktails are trending,” surmises mixologist Brendan Dorr, who owns the gin bar Dutch Courage and the James Beard nominated Pink Flamingo. “The whiskey bubble has popped, and people are moving on to other spirits. Also, guests are becoming more educated with their spirit knowledge, especially when it comes to rum.”

Dorr does make a distinction between tropical and tiki drinks, however.

“Tiki cocktails are more theatrical, whereas tropical cocktails is a general term for cocktails using tropical fruit, spices, and citrus—the styling is simpler,” he says. “Also, with tropical cocktails we aim to avoid the cultural appropriation that can go along with tiki.”

That’s exactly why bartender Pat Turner of True Chesapeake Oyster Co. is careful to honor the history of the kitschy cocktails with the Hampden spot’s “Tiki Tuesdays.”

“Tiki recipes are classics,” he says. “The people who came before us aced these drinks, so for our recipes, we’ve turned to places like Smuggler’s Cove [in San Francisco] and Don the Beachcomber [in Hollywood]. Most workers who made tiki drinks were Filipino—these cocktails are an ode to them.”

The revival of the tiki tradition is an antidote to current craft cocktails.

“Cocktail culture has been trending more and more minimalist,” says Turner. “The nicer cocktail spots have the daintiest glasses with the most minimalist garnish—maybe just a simple trimmed peel or a spot of oil. Along with that, there’s a desire for a goofy mug, extravagant garnishes, and setting things on fire—sometimes you need a little maximalism.”