Belladonna is a simple but beautiful cocktail that’s easy to make, easy to scale, and definitely something to enjoy in the summer.
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What is Belladonna?
This drink is a rum-based fruit punch, and it’s extremely easy to remember how to make: just add equal parts of everything. So if you want t make a larger drink, or serve several at a time, it’s quite easy.
Funny enough, if you were to search for a Belladonna cocktail you’d get varying results and recipes, and no one agrees on the exact ingredients. This is the Belladonna I know, and the one I make.
Belladonna Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oz dark rum
- 1 oz light rum
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz cranberry juice
Instructions
- In a shaker add all you ingredients and plenty of ice. Shake thoroughly, the pineapple will foam.
- Strain into a hurricane glass half-filled with ice.
- Garnish with pineapple and/or orange.
Notes
- This is a tropical cocktail, go nuts with the garnish.
- You can do all-dark rum or all-light rum if you like.
When is this drink best?
Belladonna works great as a beach drink, a poolside drink, and I could see this served at a wedding too. Definitely a summery drink, as unlike others made with cranberry and orange.
My thoughts on Belladonna
I found Belladonna a little flat, but it might just be my tastes. The light rum is always milder in comparison to dark rum, and it can easily get lost in the other flavors. The alcohol is still there, but it doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own. I think all-dark rum would work better. Aside from that, I think shaking this is absolutely necessary – you’ve got fruit juice to aerate and the difference is noticeable.
Overall a very simple but tasty drink. Not one of my favorites but definitely a reliable recipe and one that might please a larger crowd.
If you like Belladonna, you might also like…
Bay Breeze – a rum twist on the vodka cranberry
Notes, substitutes, and tips
Fresh fruit juice is always going to be better than store-bought, since store juice is almost always pasteurized and the flavor will be off. If you find your fresh juice isn’t sweet enough, add 1 oz of simple syrup to the whole cocktail.
If store-bought juice is the only one available, try adding a little bit of fresh lemon juice to brighten the drink.
This recipe calls for both dark and light rum. It’s meant to showcase the interplay between these two rums, but I think the light rum easily fades in comparison to the dark. You could do all light, all dark, or swap one of them for a spiced rum if you like.
This cocktail might work even better with pomegranate juice in place of cranberry juice, for a more tropical feel to it. Same ratio, still tangy, and you’d get a very similar color.
