‘Smuggleroni’ Coconut Rum Negroni Recipe

This negroni spinoff recipe from Coconut Cartel is a balanced, unique take on a classic made with coconut rum.

Whether you love a negroni and want to try a new variation or haven’t fallen in love with the bitter cocktail and want something a little different, this coconut rum negroni spinoff might be the drink for you.

I’ve been writing about booze for a decade now, and so much of what I encounter is familiar even when it’s new. But Coconut Cartel’s añejo (or aged) rum caught my eye. When distilleries make their spirits, they dilute the alcohol with water to “proof” it, making it palatable. But in this case, Coconut Cartel doesn’t use regular water — they use coconut water.

Give it a few years and I bet we’ll start seeing a lot more of this.

It’s normal for mixologists and bartenders to mix a liquor with a neutral, non-alcoholic liquid to cut it, of course. Flavored liquors are everywhere as well. And at this point, it’s easy to find distilleries and other producers pumping out ready-made cocktails, too. But incorporating something like coconut water into the proofing process rather than as an additive after the fact is a more novel approach.

Coconut Cartel created a cocktail with this añejo rum that riffs on the negroni. The classic recipe always calls for gin, so we’ve definitely got a significant departure here with not only a different spirit, but one that’s been aged for 4 to 12 years in new, charred American white oak barrels (that’s where the dark color in the rum comes from).

“Coconut Cartel is the only rum on the market that’s cut to proof with freshly harvested coconut water, resulting in a smooth, aged sipping rum with notes of plantain, caramel, sandalwood, burnt brown sugar and a touch of saltiness,” their PR person told me.

“This recipe offers a smoother, richer mouthfeel on the traditional Negroni by replacing the traditional gin with Coconut Cartel Añejo Rum, bringing a lush, aged rum flavor with salty, mineral undertones and incorporating a large coconut water ice cube which gradually infuses a subtle coconut flavor as it melts,” she added. “You’ll get hints of sweetness and tropical coconut on the palate while still retaining the bitterness Negroni lovers know and love from the Campari.”

Sounds great. And I like the added touch of the coconut water ice cube, which is really easy to pull off as long as you plan slightly ahead. That’s the kind of detail that will impress whoever you’re making this for — even if it’s just yourself.

Coconut Rum Negroni Ingredients

You’ll need these ingredients to make one of these “Smuggleroni” cocktails, as the creators call it:

• 1.5 oz Coconut Cartel Añejo Rum  
• .75 oz Campari  
• .75 oz Sweet Vermouth  
• 1 large coconut water ice cube  

I suggest doubling this recipe to make two drinks with the same amount of effort and easier measurements.

(Details on the ice cube below.)

Directions

Follow these super-simple steps to make yourself one of these coconut rum negroni drinks!

1. Ahead of time, freeze coconut water in a silicone 2×2” ice mold.
2. Combine the first three ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass with a large coconut water cube. Garnish with an orange twist. 

Related Recipe Inspiration

If you like this cocktail, here are a few others we recommend exploring!

• Spiced Cranberry Rum Old Fashioned Recipe
• Strawberry Negroni Recipe
• Negroni Granita Recipe
• Homemade Spiced Rum Recipe
• Pineapple Rum Cocktail Recipe
• Lambrusco Spritz Recipe
• 15 Fall Cocktail Recipes You’ll Love

Thanks to Coconut Cartel for sharing this recipe with us!