The Jungle Bird

The Jungle Bird is a rum-based cocktail deserves to be known as Malaysia's national cocktail. Served in a bird shaped porcelain glassware with a pineapple garnish created by Jeffrey Ong in 1973 at the Aviary bar, Kuala Lumpur Hilton.

Jeffrey Ong, a soft spoken, and caring leader known among his peers was someone who doesn't drink. This might surprise some readers on how this tiki cocktail was made popular. The aromas of the drinks, his sensory with smell and taste without consuming the drinks was his guidelines to be thanked for.

He passed away peacefully in 2013 at the age of 71 at his hometown in Penang. A name to be reckoned with for being the only Malaysian creator of this internationally recognize classic cocktail.

In honor of Jeffery Ong, we made this drink using palm sugar (gula melaka) which gives a subtle caramel and coconut flavor to this delicious cocktail.

Burst of flavors

Tropical flavors with depth of well-balanced concoction. The Campari, pairs well with the rum and tropical fruit juice that adds a herbal bitterness to the cocktail. It's sophisticated with a tint of sourness to your taste-buds.

Tip:

use only freshly squeezed lime and pineapple juice and replace simple sugar syrup with palm sugar (gula melaka)

Ingredients

• 45ml Dark Jamaican Rum

• 20ml Campari

• 45ml Pineapple juice

• 15ml Lime juice

• 15ml Palm sugar syrup

• Garnish: Pineapple wedge

• Garnish: Pandan leaves

• Garnish: Maraschino cherry

Steps

• Add the rum, campari, pineapple juice, lime juice and palm sugar syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

• Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

• Garnish with a pineapple wedge and pandan leaves and maraschino cherry