The Bushwacker

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

Creamy and strong, the tropical Bushwacker cocktail is a perfect treat on warm, seaside nights.

The 1970s was a pretty prosperous decade, regarding the birth of many of the cocktails we still enjoy today. For tonight’s drink, we’re pulling out our butterfly collared shirts, ABBA records and resort wear and heading to the Virgin Islands for a few Bushwackers. Don’t forget to pack some extra suntan lotion in your Pan Am carryon, because after we look at today’s recipe, you’ll be staying on the beach longer than you planned to.

If you like Piña Coladas, and chocolate milkshakes, then you’ll love a Bushwacker, it tastes like both and is great. If you read that last sentence to the tune of Rupert Holmes “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”, I’m sorry. It was totally unintentional. Invented in 1975 by bartender Angie Conigliaro at the Ship’s Store/Sapphire Pub in St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the concoction was christened the Bushwacker after a patron’s dog. A group of flight attendants would frequent the bar whenever they passed through, and would travel with an Afghan Hound named Bushwack. The pup must’ve made quite an impression. Every time we sip on one of these beverages, there’s a happy canine somewhere wagging its tail.

Originally made with vodka as the base spirit, when the drink made its way to Florida by way of vacationing bartenders, much experimenting was done with the recipe. Since the 1980s, rum has been a more common foundation. Whether you choose one over the other, when either is mixed with the other ingredients—coffee liqueur, crème de cacao, cream of coconut, milk—what you’re gifted with is a smooth and tropical tipple that’ll transport you to warmer climes far from the cold winds currently blowing in your backyard.

A summertime cocktail isn’t just for the hotter months. They can be made and enjoyed at any time, to remind us that sunnier days are coming again.

What Is The Best Alcohol to Use In a Bushwacker?

As noted earlier, the first Bushwackers were made with vodka. The more common way to make them these days is with rum, but the original way to mix this drink up is still just as delicious. You can play with flavored vodkas, but I tend to go with an unflavored spirit to let the notes of the other ingredients shine. I also like using a silver rum in this recipe, so as not to make the taste too intense with a spiced variety.

What Glassware and Garnish is used?

You can chill a hurricane glass for up to thirty minutes in your freezer before pouring your blended cocktail into it. You can garnish your drink with a whipped cream topper and any fruit you desire.

Is Crème de cacao milk chocolate?

Despite the name, crème de cacao is not a fancy form of chocolate milk. In fact, there’s no dairy in it at all. It’s a chocolate liqueur used for flavoring dessert drinks such as Chocolate Martini or Grasshopper.

Why does Angie Conigliaro Sound familiar?

Angie is the cousin of Tony Conigliaro, who was an MLB outfielder and batter for the Boston Red Sox.

Other 1970s Cocktails

Still feeling laid back and relaxed, and in the mood for more cocktails born in the seventies? Allow Twist & Toast to be your Wayback Machine with these easy-to-make and historic recipes. Put on your Steely Dan records and mix up a few of these potions to make your lazy Sunday complete.

• Pink Squirrel – Creamy, sweet and potent, this 1970s sipper is a must-have in your repertoire.
• Tequila Sunrise – Another drink from the Me Decade that’s just as popular and refreshing today.
• Blue Hawaii – A sweet, sour and mouth-watering mixture that brings rum and vodka together.
• Godfather – Marlon Brando himself is credited with creating this Scotch and amaretto dram.