Guavalicious Cocktail at Éter Rooftop and Lounge, San Juan
San Juan has seen a steady increase in its inventory of rooftop bars in recent years. Similarly, the city’s mixology scene has also risen to new heights. At least that’s the sense I got upon ascending to Éter Rooftop and Lounge recently. That’s where I enjoyed my first Guavalicious cocktail.
Convenient Rooftop Cocktails in San Juan
Now, it was no big stretch for me to find Éter. The breezy bar sits atop the Ciqala Luxury Home Suites, my go-to value-priced hotel in Puerto Rico’s capital. Ciqala sits within easy walking distance of the Puerto Rico Convention Center, so it’s very convenient for my semi-frequent tourism conference commitments.
So yeah, I’ve stayed a Ciqala on multiple occasions. Occasions that often included a lunch, dinner, and/or drinks among the clouds at Éter. It wasn’t until my most recent visit, though, that I discovered their glorious Guavalicious cocktail. I have Nashi to thank for that.
My Nice Lime with Nashi
Young, personable, and proudly puertorriqueña, Nashi is the bar manager at Éter. She’s also a very cool person to lime with and talk rum, cocktails, travel, and all things Puerto Rico. I spent about a half-hour doing just that with her and really, it wasn’t enough.
Neither, of course, was Nashi’s Guavalicious.
The base of this thoroughly tropical cocktail is a pseudo lemonade; essentially a mix of Limeade and simple syrup. On the surface, this might sound like too sweet a foundation upon which to add guava syrup and coconut rum. Somehow, though, the Guavalicious maintains a surprising sense of balance and refreshment.
Here’s the recipe…
- 1.5 oz Don Q Coconut Rum
- Don Q Reserva 7 Year Aged Rum
- 2 oz Limeade
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 oz Guava Syrup
How to Make Your Very Own Guavalicious Cocktail
- Grab your shaker and add some ice.
- Next, pour in your simple syrup, Limeade, guava syrup, and Don Q Coconut Rum.
- Shake it up! Make sure you put a little flair into it. This is mixology after all…have fun!
- Strain your mix into a highball glass loaded with ice.
- Finally, top with Don Q 7.
The Guavalicious cocktail at Éter Rooftop and Lounge is great! I imagine, though, that it could be a little bit better.
Specifically, I might opt for a stronger, more robust topper like Lemon Hart 151 or Cruzan Blackstrap.
At the same time, though, I’m a bit torn about this. Employing two different types of Don Q Rum as it does, the Guavalicious, like Nashi, is big time borinqueño. Adding a foreign flavor would take away from the cocktails’ wholly Puerto Rican flavor.
As it stands, the Guavalicious will always rekindle memories of high times at Éter Rooftop and Lounge for me. As you might imagine, that’s not something that I really want to mess with…
¡Salúd!
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