Yellow Bird
A sunshine-yellow rum cocktail with the vanilla-herbal sweetness of Galliano and a fresh hit of lime.
Ingredients
- White rum30 ml
- Galliano15 ml
- Triple sec15 ml
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed15 ml
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wheel
Method
- Fill a shaker with plenty of ice.
- Add the white rum, Galliano, triple sec and fresh lime juice.
- Shake hard for 10–15 seconds, until the shaker is ice cold on the outside.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and serve straight away.
About this drink
The Yellow Bird has its roots in Caribbean beach bars, where its sunny colour and playful strength made it a regular. The name is thought to come from the Haitian song 'Choucoune', which became known in English as 'Yellow Bird' in the 1950s. Although many later versions added fruit juices, this classic take is tight, spirituous and elegant, proof that tropical doesn't have to mean sweet and heavy.
Questions and answers
What gives the Yellow Bird its yellow colour?
Galliano, the vanilla-sweet, anise-tinged herbal liqueur, which adds both the colour and an aromatic depth that a plain rum and lime drink would lack.
Can I leave out the Galliano in a Yellow Bird?
You can, but the drink loses both its name and its character. You end up with a simple rum and triple sec sour instead of the aromatic tropical classic.
