Piña Coladas are one of those guilty pleasures that pretty much EVERYONE likes. Unless you are allergic to pineapples or coconut or fun, DO NOT TELL ME YOU DON’T LIKE A PIÑA COLADA. I’ll just end up calling you a lying liar. Because they are happy making. They are dessert with booze. They are vacation. They are worth every calorie. Seriously.

Created in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the early 1950s, their national drink since 1978, the traditional Piña Colada recipe called for white rum. But over the years, bartenders and home mixologists alike realized that aged, dark and spiced rums had the potential to add a depth of flavor…and next level yumminess!

With the recent release of Don Q’s Oak Barrel Spiced Rum, I thought it was a great opportunity to spice up one of my favorite blended drinks.

This is the first foray into the spiced category for the brand and they wanted to do it right by creating an elevated version of what currently dominates this segment in most bars and liquor stores at the moment. Don Q’s Oak Barrel Spiced Rum is a blend of Puerto Rican rums that have been aged for a minimum of three to six years and is slightly higher in alcohol, coming in at a healthy 90 proof – ideal for cocktails.

The Spicy Chai Piña Colada recipe came together once I tasted this rum on its own. The warm kitchen spices, most notably the clove and black peppercorn notes, reminded me of the spices in Masala Chai. A creamy coconut chai drink with BOOZE?! Uh…YEAH!

Because I wanted to make a chai spiced syrup, I decided NOT to use the traditional, already sweetened Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut, and opted to use the slightly lighter, unsweetened coconut milk in its place. It was just as creamy and lush but it also allowed for the rum and spices to truly shine.

Spicy Chai Piña Colada – makes 2 drinks
3 oz Coconut Milk
3 oz Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum
5 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Chai Spiced Syrup*
1/4 cup Fresh Pineapple
Juice of 1 Lime
1 1/2 cups of ice
Garnish: pineapple wedge, rum soaked cherry, chai spices

Add all ingredients including ice to a blender and blend until frothy. Pour into well chilled glasses and garnish with pineapple, cherry and a pinch of spices.

Chai Spiced Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 Chai Spice teabags

Heat water in a saucepan until boiling. Remove from heat and add in tea bags. Infuse for about 5 minutes. Once the tea has fully steeped, remove the tea bags and return saucepan to stove to bring to a slow boil. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Let stand at room temperature until cool and then refrigerate. Will keep for 2-3 weeks.

Sponsored: This post was made possible by Don Q Rum and was fueled by Spicy Piña Coladas! All opinions are my own.

The post New Don Q Spiced Rum & A Spicy Chai Piña Colada appeared first on Bit By a Fox.