Celebrate Jamaica and the legacy of the country’s iconic musician with the tropical and refreshing Bob Marley cocktail.
When I was in high school, Bob Marley was just as popular with a large chunk of the student body as any of the then-current Top 40 artists. You’d see more Marley t-shirts walking through the halls than you would Nirvana or Green Day. I hate to admit this, but because a lot of the kids I knew were wearing those Marley shirts and didn’t actually listen to the music, I got a little turned off myself. The other students I knew who did listen to him and other reggae artists weren’t in class much, so I never really got to ask them about where I should start when it came to exploring the genre.
In my mid-twenties, the light bulb went off over my head. First, my dad introduced me to Toots & The Maytals, an iconic Jamaican band, and I was off running. I soon discovered guitarist Ernie Ranglin, who invented that signature reggae and ska guitar move, the “up on the downstroke”. You know it when you hear it, that groovy and percussive “thwak” of the strings over an infectious beat. Peter Tosh was another, as well as The Slickers, Desmond Dekker and The Melodians. Then, finally, I began to dig into Bob Marley & The Wailers. Songs like “Stir It Up”, “Rastaman Chant”, and “Three Little Birds” sent chills up my spine. These and other songs are still heard on rock radio to this very day, and whenever I’m driving in my car and they come on, the volume immediately gets loud, and the day becomes a little brighter.
Speaking of stirring things up, tonight’s cocktail takes its name and inspiration from the legendary musician and the country he loved so much, the Bob Marley drink. A layered concoction, using two kinds of rum, grenadine and pineapple juice, the Bob Marley is served over ice and prepared to resemble the Rastafarian flag.
There’s a recent movie about the life of the singer/guitarist that came out, called Bob Marley: One Love, that I highly recommend. And when you sit down over the weekend to watch it, make a few of today’s cocktail to join you.
What Is The Best Rum To Use In A Bob Marley Drink?
When you’re mixing up a few of these for you and your friends, keep in mind what it represents. As the layered presentation is supposed to resemble the colors of the Rastafarian flag, let’s stick with that theme and go with some Wray & Nephew overproof white rum, and for the pineapple spirit, a bottle of Doctor Bird. Both hail from Jamaica, and they’ll fit in beautifully at your home bar. Because the Wray & Nephew is stronger than a regular version of the spirit, keep in mind your mixture will be a tad more potent.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce grenadine syrup
- 1/2 ounce light rum
- 4 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce yellow pineapple rum
- 1 ounce blue curaçao
- Maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Pour the grenadine syrup into a highball glass, then fill it with ice.
- In a cocktail shaker, add the light rum, pineapple juice, and a few ice cubes. Shake well, then slowly strain over the ice in the glass.
- Add the yellow pineapple rum and blue curaçao in a cleaned shaker with a little ice. Give a light shake and carefully strain over the back of a spoon on top of the layered drink.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and serve.
Nutrition
FAQs & Tips
WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?
You’ll want a tall and sturdy highball glass to pour your Bob Marley cocktail into. Follow our recipe to achieve the layered look, then garnish with a maraschino cherry.
CAN YOU STORE THE BOB MARLEY?
No. The preparation and arrangement of the colors to resemble the Rastafarian flag is a big selling point to this beverage. Making a big batch or just storing the drink away for later will not work. Serve and enjoy this recipe fresh.
DID BOB MARLEY EVER DRINK THIS COCKTAIL?
It is actually unknown if the musical legend ever enjoyed a Bob Marley himself, or a version close to it. What is known is that Marley did have a favorite beverage, the Irish Moss, or Rasta Moko, which is made from seaweed and is a traditional drink in Rastafarian culture.
Similar Drinks To The Bob Marley
If you find yourself on the beach this summer, lazing in a hammock with some calypso playing through speakers somewhere, you might be on vacation. And if that’s the case, you’ll need a strong and thirst-quenching cocktail to join you. Inspired by today’s recipe, the Bob Marley, let’s take a look at some other rum libations that’ll satisfy and relax.
- Planter’s Punch – Rum and tropical juices are a great way to end the work week.
- Navy Grog – You don’t need to sail the Seven Seas to enjoy this classic tipple.
- Brass Monkey – A cocktail so good the Beastie Boys had to write a song about it.
- Banana Daiquiri – Don’t let King Kong overdo it with this delicious island treat.
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