The Nui Nui is a classic tiki cocktail created in 1937 by Donn Beach (founding father of tiki culture in America) for his Don the Beachcomber restaurants in Hollywood, California. Known to be notoriously secretive about his recipes, he even hid the ingredients from his own bartenders by labeling bottles “Don’s spices #2”, etc. This recipe was kept a secret for decades until it was finally uncovered by Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry who spent years unlocking the secrets of the original tiki cocktails of the 30’s and 40’s and featured them in his book Sippin Safari. It was originally called Pupule (crazy in Hawaiian) but later changed the name to Nui Nui which means big or great in Polynesian. It was also served at the Aku Aku in Las Vegas, Nevada and was called Desert Rattler. The flavor profile features cinnamon, vanilla, citrus and rum and is a perfect blend between a winter and spring cocktail. I used BG Reynolds new tiki bitters (Primitiva) which were released with the promise of “just 3 dashes will do”. It is an aromatic blend of premium spices and natural extracts such as gentian, cassia, cinnamon and molasses blended with aged overproof rum and blends harmoniously with the spice and citrus, creating a perfect balance to all your tiki cocktails. Cheers!
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
- Jigger
- Hurricane Glass
- 2 Small Saucepans
- Measuring Cup
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Umbrella Straw
Ingredients – Serves 1
- .75 oz Demerara Rum
- .75 oz Jamaican Rum
- .75 oz Cachaca
- 1 oz Orange Juice
- .75 oz Cinnamon Syrup (1 cup water +1 cup sugar + 3 cinnamon sticks)
- .75 oz Lime Juice
- .25 oz Vanilla Syrup (1 cup water + 1 cup sugar + 1 vanilla bean/paste or 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract)
- .25 oz Allspice Dram
- Tiki Bitters
- Dehydrated Lime for garnish
- Mint for garnish
- Tropical Flower for garnish
Method
- Make the Syrups. Add 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to 2 separate small saucepans. Add 3 cinnamon sticks to one. Bring both to a boil over medium heat. Stir. Remove both from heat. Add the vanilla bean/paste or vanilla extract to the other one without cinnamon. Stir and let cool to infuse. Pour each into a glass container and store in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
- Make the Cocktail. Add the Demerara Rum, Jamaican Rum, Cachaca, orange juice, cinnamon syrup, lime juice. vanilla syrup and Allspice Dram to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to combine and strain into a crushed ice filled hurricane glass.
- Garnish. Add an umbrella straw, dehydrated lime, mint and tropical flower. Cheers!
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