Jungle Bird
A BevX Cocktail Recipe
The Jungle Bird was created in 1978 at the Aviary Bar of the Kuala Lumpur Hilton and promptly forgotten for decades. Its rediscovery by bartenders in the 2000s was one of the great finds of the craft cocktail renaissance. Dark Rum and Campari is a pairing that should not work but does — the bitterness of the Campari cuts the pineapple's sweetness, and the Rum ties everything together with a dark, tropical authority. It is now considered a modern classic.
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Dark rum (Jamaican preferred)
3/4 oz. Campari
1 1/2 oz. Fresh pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice
Occasion
A crowd-pleasing, tropical aperitif that works beautifully at outdoor gatherings and summer parties. It converts Campari skeptics with ruthless efficiency.
Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass over ice, or into a tiki mug for full theatrical effect. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or a dehydrated pineapple wheel.
Variations
Changing the aged Rum will greatly impact this drink. The Campari can be reduced for a less bitter version, or you can substitute a quality bitter like Berto for a subtle change.
Source: Jeffrey Ong, Kuala Lumpur Hilton, 1978