Piña CoCo Lada
Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 15.4% ABV ∙
The Piña CoCo Lada builds pineapple cordial, white rum, cachaça, coconut rum liqueur and dry sparkling wine over ice — no blender. Light and fizzy on the tongue, with a syrupy tropical sweetness cut by a crisp, effervescent lift and a warm, lingering finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour all ingredients into the ice-filled glass: Pineapple cordial 60 mlWhite rum 40 mlCachaça 5 mlCoconut rum liqueur 10 mlDry sparkling wine 20 ml
- Briefly stir
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass so the ice doesn't dilute the mix before the sparkling wine settles in.
- Pour the sparkling wine last and stir only briefly to keep its fizz intact.
- Build directly over ice rather than shaking — this recipe has no cream or juice to emulsify.
History
The Piña CoCo Lada has no documented creation story of its own; it reads as a sparkling-wine riff on the classic Piña Colada, swapping in a splash of dry sparkling wine and cachaça alongside the rum for a lighter, drier, more effervescent finish than the original blended drink.
The Piña Colada itself is generally credited to Ramón "Monchito" Marrero, a bartender at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who is said to have created it in 1954 to give hotel guests a welcome drink built around coconut and pineapple. Puerto Rico later declared it the island's official national drink in 1978. The Caribe Hilton's claim is not the only one, however, as the nearby Barrachina restaurant in Old San Juan also credits its own bartender with the invention, and the exact year has been given variously between 1952 and 1957, so the drink's precise origin remains disputed among rival San Juan claimants.
FAQ
How do you make a Piña CoCo Lada?
Pour pineapple cordial, white rum, cachaça, and coconut rum liqueur into an ice-filled, pre-chilled glass, top with dry sparkling wine, stir briefly, and garnish with a pineapple wedge. Unlike a blended Piña Colada, this version is built rather than shaken or blended, so it stays clear and fizzy instead of thick and frosty.
What is in a Piña CoCo Lada?
Pineapple cordial, white rum, cachaça, coconut rum liqueur, and dry sparkling wine, built over ice and finished with a pineapple wedge. The sparkling wine stands in for the cream or coconut milk found in a classic Piña Colada, keeping this version lighter and effervescent.
Is coconut cream or coconut milk better for a Piña Colada?
Neither is used here: this Piña CoCo Lada gets its coconut character from coconut rum liqueur instead of coconut cream or milk, so the drink is fizzy and clear rather than thick and creamy.
