Aruba Ariba
Aruba's fruity signature rum cocktail
Aruba Ariba
The Aruba Ariba is the island's signature cocktail, a fruity, potent, brightly coloured drink invented on Aruba and poured in beach bars and restaurants across the island. There are many house variations, but the classic build layers white and dark rum with vodka and a fruity local liqueur, lengthened with fruit juices such as orange, pineapple, and cranberry, and often finished with a float of a coloured liqueur and a fruit garnish for a tropical, sunset look.
The drink is meant to taste of holiday. It is sweet, fruity, and easy to sip, which masks a fairly generous measure of spirits, so it goes down dangerously easily on a warm afternoon. The name is a play on 'arriba,' a cheerful toast, and the cocktail has become a kind of unofficial island welcome drink, the thing visitors order to mark their first evening on One Happy Island.
How it is served
The Aruba Ariba is served tall over ice, garnished with tropical fruit and sometimes a paper umbrella, and it is best enjoyed at sunset with a sea view.
- Recipes vary by bar, so each version has its own twist on the fruit juices and liqueurs.
- Order one at a beach bar on Palm Beach or after a sunset catamaran cruise for the full effect.
For a sweet, celebratory start to an evening on the island, order an Aruba Ariba at sunset. It is the cocktail that says you have arrived.
Key ingredients
How to make Aruba Ariba
- 1
Fill a tall glass to the top with ice cubes.
- 2
Pour in white rum, a little dark rum, and vodka over the ice.
- 3
Add a splash of banana liqueur and a splash of orange liqueur for the fruity base.
- 4
Top with roughly equal parts orange juice and pineapple juice, plus a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
- 5
Add a dash of grenadine and stir gently once or twice to combine.
- 6
Float a measure of Coecoei, the local red Aruban liqueur, over the top so it streaks down for color and its signature flavor.
- 7
Garnish with a wedge of fresh pineapple or other tropical fruit.
- 8
Add a straw and serve at once while cold.
A home-style reference method; every family and kitchen has its own version.
Aruba Ariba questions
What is an Aruba Ariba?
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