Top 8 Puerto Rican Alcoholic Beverages

Sonrisa Rum is a Puerto Rican rum brand created to reflect the island's culture, heritage, and way of life through its spirits. The brand takes its name from the Spanish word sonrisa, meaning "smile," symbolizing the warmth, hospitality, and vibrant character of Puerto Rico. All of its rums are crafted, distilled, and aged in Puerto Rico, where the tropical climate accelerates maturation and contributes to the development of rich and complex flavor profiles. The portfolio includes three core expressions - Platino, Oro Especial, and Reserva - ranging from lighter styles suited to cocktails to more mature rums intended for sipping. Beyond rum production, the brand supports local communities through its From Puerto Rico, For Puerto Rico initiative, which donates one U.S. dollar from every bottle sold to help small businesses across the island. By combining Puerto Rico's long-standing rum-making tradition with a contemporary approach and a strong commitment to its local community, Sonrisa Rum offers a modern interpretation of Puerto Rican rum.Expand

Coquito is a traditional cocktail similar to eggnog. It is typically prepared and consumed during the festive Christmas season. The cocktail is made with a combination of coconut milk, rum, condensed milk, and vanilla, although every family has their own variation. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be blended, then chilled and served in small glasses. It is recommended to garnish coquito with nutmeg on top. The name of this drink means little coconut. In Cuba, they serve it with scoops of coconut ice cream, while the Spanish people serve it with turron.Expand

Piña Colada is a sweet and creamy tropical cocktail that has been celebrated as the national drink of Puerto Rico since 1978. It is a simple but delicious mixture of rum, pineapple juice, coconut milk, and coconut cream, often shaken or blended with ice, served in a chilled glass, then garnished with a piece of pineapple or a cherry on top. The cocktail can be made with different types of rum or different proportions of ingredients than those used in the original recipe, but it can also be served frozen. Regarding the cocktail's origins, a bartender named Ramón "Monchito" Marrero Pérez made this cocktail in 1954 at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan, which is now considered a birthplace of the Piña Colada.Expand

Amaretto Colada is essentially a variation of the famous Piña Colada with the addition of amaretto almond liqueur, adding a rich and nutty flavor to the traditional coconut and pineapple. It is made with a combination of white rum, amaretto, coconut cream, pineapple juice, and whipping cream. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be shortly blended with crushed ice, and the cocktail is then garnished with a cherry or a pineapple slice. It is recommended to serve the cocktail in a hurricane glass.Expand

Often dubbed as the Puerto Rican moonshine, pitorro is a traditional drink that is distilled from sugarcane or molasses. Though the recipes vary, and the drink can be enjoyed as a raw spirit, the base is usually enriched with various ingredients, most commonly fruit slices, and it is left to macerate in a dark place, preferably underground. Pitorro is usually associated with home producers, but in the recent years, the state has attempted to try to regulate its production. Nowadays, legal varieties exist, but the homemade pitorro is still held in high regard. Though it is usually enjoyed neat, pitorro is often incorporated in Coquito—traditional Puerto Rican cocktail similar to eggnog.Expand

Chi Chi is Piña Colada’s drier cousin, a cocktail made with a combination of vodka, coconut cream, pineapple juice, and cream. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should simply be mixed with ice, then served in a poco or hurricane glass garnished with a cherry and a pineapple wedge. The cocktail was especially popular during the 1950s, but later it was mostly forgotten, until it was recently featured in an episode of the popular TV-show South Park.Expand

Spiced Cherry is one of the most popular cocktails in Puerto Rican bars. It is made with a combination of spiced rum and cherry cola. In order to prepare it, spiced rum and cherry coke are simply combined in a glass with ice, then stirred. If desired, the cocktail can be garnished with cherries.Expand

Chichaíto is a Puerto Rican shooter made with a combination of equal parts anisette and white rum (preferably of the Palo Viejo brand). In order to prepare it, both ingredients are shaken with ice, then strained into a shot glass. The flavor of Chichaíto is slightly sweet and reminiscent of licorice. This popular shooter can be found at almost every bar on the island. There are also variations of Chichaíto such as Chichaíto de Coco, made with coconut milk and coconut cream, or Chichaíto de Nutella, made with Nutella and evaporated milk.Expand