With the popularity remaining strong for virtual and socially distanced happy hours that ramped up during the pandemic, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority asked island mixologist Altino Spencer to create a specialty cocktail.
The drink would incentivize travelers to come visit and to provide visitors on the islands (they reopened in June) with a new beverage to sip.
Spencer named his creation the Lift Off cocktail. It conjures up images of the destination's 365 beaches, blue waters, secluded harbors, villas, attractions and dining options.
"Here we have sun, sand and sea," he said. "I wanted to create a cocktail that is the perfect escape for this time, one that evokes the flavors and bliss of Antigua and Barbuda.
"We are welcoming visitors again and for them and for those visitors still to come, this cocktail is an ode to them," he said.
He combined citrus flavors, Antigua Cavalier rum, a drizzle of blue and fruit garnishes to create a drink reminiscent of the turquoise waters surrounding Antigua and Barbuda.
His recipe calls for one-and-a-half ounces of Antigua Cavalier white rum, half an ounce each of simple syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice and Grand Marnier, and half an ounce of Blue Curacao for drizzling.
The final touches are small floating pieces of the peels of an orange and a lemon, carved into the shape of fish, and slices of dehydrated oranges that mimic the coral reefs surrounding both islands. The tutorial on how to make a proper Lift-Off is here.
Spencer has served as a bartender and server at several resorts in Antigua. He came in second in the inaugural Taste of Wadadli Mixology competition last December, held by the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association. He represented Cocobay Resort in Antigua and faced off against eight other mixologists, each from a different resort. The challenge was to present a unique cocktail using guava as the star ingredient.
Cheers!