IBA Tiki - Havana Club Rum, Passion Fruit & Pineapple Cocktail

The IBA Tiki is a complex tropical cocktail that combines deep and smoky rum with passion fruit, pineapple, lime, fresh ginger, and small measures of amaretto, Frangelico, and Maraschino Luxardo. Pebbled ice keeps the long drink cold and gradually diluted, while the fresh citrus and ginger give the rich fruit and liqueur mixture enough brightness and spice to stay lively.

Background

The International Bartenders Association includes the IBA Tiki in its New Era collection. Its official recipe uses two Havana Club rum expressions alongside tropical fruit, citrus, ginger, nut liqueurs, and Maraschino Luxardo. Rather than reproducing one older tiki classic, the drink uses the broader tiki tradition of layered rum, fruit, spice, crushed ice, and elaborate presentation.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Ron Profundo Havana Club - provides the drink's deep, aged-rum foundation.
• Ron Smoky Havana Club - adds the distinctive smoky rum layer.
• Amaretto - contributes almond-like sweetness and body.
• Frangelico - adds a small hazelnut accent.
• Maraschino Luxardo - supplies concentrated cherry and herbal complexity.
• Passion Fruit Puree - brings tart tropical fruit and texture.
• Pineapple Juice - provides the drink's main juicy, tropical component.
• Lime Juice - adds fresh acidity and keeps the fruit and liqueurs balanced.
• Ginger - contributes fresh aromatic heat.

If Ron Profundo is unavailable, use a flavorful aged or dark rum with good oak and molasses depth.

If Ron Smoky is unavailable, a rum with a subtle smoky character is the closest substitute. A small amount of peated whisky blended with aged rum can move in the same direction, although it changes the official IBA recipe.

Equipment

• Cocktail shaker
• Muddler
• Jigger
• Strainer
• Tiki glass
• Pebbled ice

Why So Many Ingredients Work Together

The recipe looks crowded on paper, but the ingredients have distinct jobs. The two rums provide depth and smoke, pineapple and passion fruit create the tropical body, and lime supplies the main acidic counterweight. Amaretto, Frangelico, and Maraschino are used in smaller amounts, giving the drink nutty and cherry complexity without replacing the rum and fruit as the main flavors.

Fresh ginger adds another important contrast. Muddling releases enough spice and aroma to cut through the rich fruit while keeping the drink bright over pebbled ice.

Substitutions & Variations

• Use another full-flavored aged rum in place of Ron Profundo if necessary.
• For the smoky rum component, combine aged rum with a very small amount of peated whisky when no smoky rum is available.
• Passion fruit puree is preferable, but passion fruit juice can work if you adjust for its thinner texture and different sweetness.
• Fresh pineapple juice gives the drink the liveliest character, but a good-quality unsweetened pineapple juice is practical for home use.
• Keep both amaretto and Frangelico restrained. Increasing either one can quickly make the finished cocktail overly sweet.

Helpful Tips

• Muddle the ginger gently. Crushing it aggressively can produce an unnecessarily harsh or fibrous result.
• Use fresh lime juice because the large amount of tropical fruit needs clean acidity.
• Shake vigorously to integrate the fruit puree and pineapple juice with the spirits.
• Fill the serving glass generously with pebbled ice before straining.
• A chilled Tiki glass helps the drink stay cold as the pebbled ice begins to dilute.
• Follow the IBA garnish with citrus and dehydrated pineapple for the intended presentation.
• When batching several drinks, pre-measure the liquid ingredients but muddle fresh ginger for each manageable shaker batch.