In the mood for a Tiki drink with a lot of bite? Sip on the Cobra’s Fang cocktail to satisfy your adventurous cravings.
I remember that Christmas very well. It was the early 1980s, and my parents bade me create a list for Santa, so that he’d get a “few ideas”, according to them. That eventual list was a tad long, and I was forced to whittle it down. Which confused me at that young age. Santa was on a budget? Anyway, the one present that sticks out from that year was the ultra-cool Cobra Fang helicopter that I could put my Cobra action figures in when I’d play with my G.I. Joe toys. I still have it, minus the propeller blades and little red missiles that spun and detached from the struts.
Naturally, a child of the 1980s will look at the name of the drink we’re making tonight and make that association. That’s either a gift or a curse. The reality of the history of this rich and slightly complex recipe is, of course, totally different, and has nothing to do with selling toys, but it still peddles in imagination and adventure.
Created in the late 1930s by Tiki icon Donn Beach of Don the Beachcomber fame, the Cobra’s Fang was named as such, as were many other cocktails on his menu, to evoke a sense of exotic danger. When you entered one of his establishments, you were whisked away on little expeditions with every cocktail that you sipped on.
Back when it was first invented, the Cobra’s Fang cost only $1. Today, that number might have increased a little, but the experience of enjoying a historic and powerful potion like it is priceless.
What is the best rum to use in a Cobra’s Fang cocktail?
We’ll need two kinds of rum in this concoction. The first will be easy to procure, and you may already have some at home. A dark Jamaican rum like Myers’s or Appleton Estate, which are reliable, popular and should be on every liquor store’s shelf, will bring notes of molasses, brown sugar and vanilla, along with tropical notes like overripe bananas and mango. The other rum will be familiar to Tiki enthusiasts, and that will be a demerara variety. This is a Guyanese spirit, and features a richer and more complex tasting experience, being earthy, smoky and spicy, with hints of toffee, tobacco and even leather.
Ingredients
- 1/2 ounce demerara rum
- 1/2 ounce dark Jamaican rum
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 3/4 ounce fresh orange juice
- 1/2 ounce passion fruit syrup
- 1/2 ounce Falernum
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 dash absinthe
- Crushed ice
- 1 mint sprig for garnish
- 1 orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add both rums, the lime juice, orange juice, passion fruit syrup, Falernum, bitters, and absinthe to the shaker. Shake vigorously.
- Fill a chilled collins glass or tiki mug with crushed ice.
- Strain the contents of the shaker into the glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and an orange slice.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Fill a chilled collins or highball glass to the top with crushed ice, pour your cocktail in and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint and an orange slice.
What is falernum?
A popular ingredient in many Tiki drinks and tropical beverages, falernum is a lightly alcoholic—and sometimes non-alcoholic—cordial that originated around the 18th century in Barbados. Fruity and sweet, falernum features such infusions as lime, almond, clove and allspice.
Other tiki cocktails worth trying
The weekend is here and tropical vibes are calling. If you love Tiki culture and cocktails as much as I do, you’re in the right place. Twist & Toast has been collecting some of the best and most popular Polynesian-inspired recipes you can sip on. Try some of these out, then explore the site for even more.
- Three Dots & A Dash – One of the finest and richest libations you’ll ever have the pleasure of drinking.
- Saturn – A cosmic and potent gin Tiki tipple.
- Mai Tai – This classic is an icon in the world of Tiki drinks.
- Chi Chi Drink – Here’s another delicious creation from Donn Beach.
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