Hummingbird
The Hummingbird is a delightfully sweet and creamy blended drink hailing from Jamaica. It is essentially a boozy milkshake, combining the tropical flavors of banana and strawberry with the rich notes of coffee liqueur and a kick of Jamaican rum. Served ice-cold and frothy, it functions as a perfect dessert cocktail or a refreshing treat for a hot day. The texture is smooth and thick, making it both a drink and a decadent experience.
Preparation
Preparation time: 4 minutes
Preparation time
Difficulty
Drink Classification
The Hummingbird is a tropical, blended cocktail, often categorized alongside other creamy, dessert-like drinks. Its Jamaican origins and fruity profile place it firmly in the tropical category. Its preparation method makes it a classic blended drink, perfect for a liquid dessert.
Serving
Served cold in a large, chilled Hurricane or highball glass, this is a substantial blended drink with a moderate alcohol content.
Serving size
Approximately 10-12 oz / 300-350 ml
Alcohol content
Approximately 10-15% ABV
Alcohol strength
Serving temperature
Cold
Glass type
Hurricane
Glass treatment
Chilled
Backstory
While specific origins are anecdotal, the Hummingbird cocktail gained popularity in Jamaican hotels and resorts during the 1980s. It was created as a sweet, appealing welcome drink for tourists, showcasing local ingredients like Jamaican rum and tropical fruits. Its name is said to be inspired by the national bird of Jamaica, the Red-billed Streamertail, also known as the "doctor bird," reflecting its vibrant and delightful nature.
Origin
Jamaica, circa 1980s.
Hummingbird
The drink is consistently known as the Hummingbird, sometimes referred to more formally as the Hummingbird Cocktail. It has no other widely recognized alternative names, maintaining its simple and evocative title.
Original name
Hummingbird
Alternative name
Hummingbird Cocktail
Characteristics overview
This drink offers a sweet, fruity flavor profile dominated by banana and strawberry, with a creamy, milkshake-like texture. Its aroma is equally fruity and inviting, resulting in a refreshing summer dessert cocktail.
Flavor
Sweet, fruity, creamy, banana, strawberry, coffee, rum
Aroma
Banana, strawberry, sweet cream, faint coffee
Taste balance
Sweet
Aftertaste
Sweet, creamy, short
Fizziness
None, frothy
Color appearance
Pink, opaque, creamy
Texture
Smooth, thick, milkshake-like
Seasonality
Refreshing, summery
Flavor intensity & Experience
The flavor is intensely sweet, fruity, and creamy, with a low alcohol presence and minimal bitterness or sourness. It is a very rich and decadent drink that is not carbonated.
Sweetness
Saltiness
Sourness
Bitterness
Spiciness
Fruitiness
Creaminess
Carbonation
Ingredients
This drink requires Jamaican rum, coffee liqueur, strawberry syrup, milk, and half a ripe banana. All ingredients are blended with ice to create a smooth, creamy texture.
- Jamaican Pot Still Light Rum1 ounce / 30 mlA white overproof rum like Wray & Nephew is traditional, but a lighter pot still rum also works well.
- Coffee Liqueur1 ounce / 30 mlTia Maria is a classic choice with Jamaican roots.
- Strawberry Syrup1 ounce / 30 mlYou can use store-bought or homemade strawberry syrup.
- Whole Milk4 ounces / 120 mlHalf-and-half or plant-based milk can be substituted for varied richness.
- Ripe Banana1/2 medium bananaA ripe banana provides the best flavor and sweetness.
Ice type
- Crushed
Mixing equipments
The primary equipment needed is an electric blender to achieve the cocktail's signature smooth, milkshake-like consistency. A jigger is also required for accurate measurements.
- Blender: For combining and frothing all ingredients with ice.
- Jigger: For measuring liquid ingredients.
Instructions
The preparation is straightforward: combine all ingredients with crushed ice in a blender. Blend until smooth, then pour into a chilled glass and garnish.
1. Chill your serving glass (Hurricane or highball) in the freezer for a few minutes.
2. Add the rum, coffee liqueur, strawberry syrup, milk, and half banana to a blender.
3. Add about one cup of crushed ice to the blender.
4. Blend on high speed for 15-20 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth and frothy.
5. Pour the blended mixture into your chilled serving glass.
6. Garnish with a fresh strawberry slice on the rim and serve immediately with a straw.
Garnishing
A simple garnish of a fresh strawberry slice on the rim enhances the drink's fruity character and visual appeal.
- Strawberry Slice: Place a fresh strawberry slice on the rim of the glass.
Dietary Information
This cocktail contains alcohol, dairy from milk, and a small amount of caffeine from the coffee liqueur. It can be made vegan and dairy-free by substituting the milk with a plant-based alternative.
✓ Contains alcohol
✕ Caffeine-free
✕ Dairy-free
✓ Egg-free
✓ Soy-free
✓ Nut-free
✓ Gluten-free
✕ Vegan-friendly
✓ Vegetarian-friendly
Nutrition information
This is a high-calorie cocktail with significant carbohydrate and sugar content, primarily from the syrup, fruit, and liqueur.
Calories
Averagely 350-450 kcal / 1464-1883 kJ
Calories level
Carbohydrates
Averagely 40-50 g
Carbohydrate level
Sugar
Averagely 35-45 g
Sugar level
Occasions
This cocktail is ideal as a dessert drink or for warm-weather occasions like summer parties and poolside lounging. Its tropical, vacation-like vibe makes it a perfect indulgence.
- Dessert
- Summer Party
- Vacation
- Poolside Lounging
Pairing suggestions
The Hummingbird is best enjoyed as a standalone dessert drink. It can also pair well with light fruit-based desserts or provide a sweet, cooling contrast to spicy Caribbean food like jerk chicken.
- Light fruit desserts
- Coconut cake
- Spicy Jamaican jerk dishes (as a sweet contrast)
- On its own as a liquid dessert
The Hummingbird: A Taste of Jamaican Paradise
The Hummingbird is a fun, decadent, and easy-to-make blended cocktail from Jamaica. Its combination of rum, coffee, strawberry, and banana creates a sweet and creamy treat reminiscent of a tropical milkshake. Perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth or for sipping by the pool, it delivers a taste of the Caribbean in a glass. While high in sugar and calories, it is a worthwhile indulgence for a special occasion or a hot summer day.
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