Tiki Tastings: Clement Mahina Coco Liqueur

There are a few ways to introduce coconut to a cocktail. You can use natural coconut water or coconut milk for a very subtle flavor, or you could opt for extremely sweet coconut cream (i.e. Coco Lopez) or coconut-flavored rum. One other option is to pick up a bottle of Clement Mahina Coco Liqueur to introduce a coconut element that is much more natural and easily at least as satisfying as any of the above-listed options – probably even moreso.

We first tasted this liqueur last year and were immediately smitten. Unfortunately, we tasted it at a Clement event at a local liquor store, where we were told that the liqueur was only available at a small handful of bars in the US and was not available for retail sale. We spotted it a few times since then at bars here and there, but it wasn’t until recently that we finally found it on the shelves at a SoCal liquor store. Naturally, we picked up two bottles right away, though it seems to be finding its way into more stores.

The Mahina Coco Liqueur is made by steeping rhum agricole with fresh, young coconut to infuse the alcohol with the flavor of the coconut flesh, then sugar is added to sweeten the liqueur and emphasize the fresh coconut. The subtle grassiness of the agricole really compliments the coconut and gives this liqueur a surprisingly sophisticated taste without taking anything away from the coconut. The liqueur is sweetened, but it is not syrupy, and it has a hint of creaminess to it. It brings a somewhat more sophisticated flavor to a cocktail than many other coconut rums, as the coconut has a much, much more natural feel to it. It is delicious and well worth seeking out (or requesting) if the liquor stores in your area carry other Clement products and don’t yet have this one on shelves.

This is an excellent mixing liqueur and it is a lot of fun to play with. You can even simply mix it with pineapple juice or ginger beer for a very low alcohol (this liqueur is 18% ABV) sipper on a hot afternoon, if you don’t feel like getting fancy.

Liqueur Rating: 5/5

Liqueur Rating Scale:
0/5 – What is this?
1/5 – Bad. Not worth buying and not worth drinking
2/5 – Not very good, but ok in a pinch.
3/5 – Good and gets the job done.
4/5 – Very tasty liqueur, with complex flavors that is very good on its own or in cocktails.
5/5 – Absolutely delicious, high quality liqueur.