So, I love coconut. Whether it is creamy coconut milk in a chocolate shake, toasted coconut on top of Magic Square Bars or the scent of creamy coconut in a candle, lotion or anything! And who can forget the classic, coconut flavored rum? I like the taste of it so much that it is actually the only kind of alcohol that I drink. My favorite flavors to mix with it are orange juice, sprite, and a dash of grenadine (if available). I really go for the fruity and tropical taste. You can mix any fruity flavors or juices with coconut rum. This weekend I tried coconut rum, peach schnapps, orange juice, pineapple juice, sprite, and grenadine. Not the simplest order, but as far as taste goes- perfection. The mixture of fruity flavors with the coconut just makes me feel like I should be on a beach somewhere! And I can’t forget the sprite, which adds that extra texture and fizz to the blend.

I recently discovered a new product launch from Malibu — Mailbu Island Spiced Rum! Here is the description from maliburumdrinks.com:

Malibu Island Spiced combines Malibu’s signature blend of Caribbean rum and coconut liqueur with light spices, smoked vanilla, cinnamon and a touch of natural sweetness with Truvia®, zero-calorie sweetener. The result is a lower calorie, full-flavored spiced rum alternative.

When I saw Truvia listed as the natural sweetener for this product I wondered how it would affect the taste. Never having tried it before, I thought it might have a “diet soda” flavor element to it. No need for me to worry! There were none of the flavor notes I associate with sweeteners like aspartame. I did feel like this particular product was sweeter than others, perhaps that is because of the Truvia. But, what stood out the most about the taste experience was the strong spice notes. When Malibu says it is “full-flavored,” they mean it! There was a strong spicy and nutty smell and taste. It seemed to have more flavor and kick than other spiced coconut rums.

 I was curious about other flavor combinations with the coconut, so I visited malibudrinks.com. One of the drink mixes that caught my eye was Herb & Berry Swizzle which contains coconut, lime, strawberry and basil. Interesting combination! (See image below.) I am not so sure about adding basil to my beverages, but it is an interesting idea.  I’ll probably end up sticking to a banana smoothie or my signature orange juice and sprite flavor mix!