A while back, there were these billboards on my way to work advertising Malibu Rum Sparkler, a rum based sparkling beverage that comes in a champagne bottle.
At first I thought it sounded silly, way too sweet, and low in alcohol content, something along the lines of a wine cooler. But I really love coconut, so I kept thinking I should maybe try it.
Then, one day, my friend posted a picture of a half-drunk bottle on facebook, and when I queried her opinion, she told me that it was NOT that sweet, and it was waaaaaay stronger than she expected.
Not too sweet? Coconutty? Bubbly? Strong? This was sounding more and more up my alley.
So finally I broke down and got myself a bottle.
I chilled it, and tasted it, and it's delightful. A nice, light, refreshing drink, much more along the lines of a sparkling wine than I was expecting.
I, however, could not leave it alone. It seemed like it would be great for mixing, but all of the initial ideas were falling flat for me. Pineapple juice, the natural complement, was out because I don't like it. Using any other mixers made me feel like I would be diluting it too much.
So then I started pondering what other booze I could mix it with. More coconut rum seemed like it would be overkill. Then I struck upon the idea of doing a riff on a classic champagne cocktail.
Most champagne cocktails use a sugar cube that is soaked in bitters, cognac or brandy, and sparkling wine. For my drink, I thought the bitters would compete with the coconut too much, but I did want something to ground the drink and take it in a richer direction. After some playing around, I settled on some vanilla extract as the perfect substitute. It gives the drink a creamy edge that makes you just want to settle down inside it.
I have made the drink with both brandy and with gold rum, and I really prefer the complexity that brandy offers. However, if you have none in the house, or just prefer a lighter tasting drink, rum works quite well.
----The RoCoCo ----
(Please excuse the cell phone photos. These are from my dear friend Amanda's birthday where I made these drinks to go in the new glasses I got her.)
1 sugar cube
5 drops vanilla extract
1 oz brandy (or gold rum)
4 oz Malibu Rum Sparkler
Place one sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute or coupe.
Drip 5 drops of vanilla onto the cube, allowing the vanilla to soak in.
Pour one ounce of brandy over the sugar cube.
Fill the glass with Malibu Rum Sparkler.
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