Tropical Fluff is the fruity, rummified love child of the Jungle Bird and the Garibaldi from Fanny Chu, head bartender at NYC’s Donna and creator of some of our favorite tiki and tropical quaffs.
High-speed blending is the secret weapon here; a vigorous shake will get you part of the way there, but it’s the blender that gives it the fluffiness it’s named for.
Chu calls for a Jamaican rum, preferably Doctor Bird. That’s a light-colored rum, but it is aged and has a genuine funk and depth that brings a lot to this drink, cutting through the fruity sweetness. Smith & Cross is another good choice. Rum Fire is higher-proof, but rich with those banana-ish esters that Doctor Bird boasts and would work well here.
Aperol is listed in Chu’s original recipe, but if you can stand the bitterness, Campari would also be excellent.
