Malibu Original Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur. Pernod Ricard, Barbados the world’s best-selling coconut-flavored rum, a smooth 21% ABV blend of Caribbean rum and natural coconut flavor crafted from the original recipe that has defined the category for over four decades.

Malibu was created in 1982 in Barbados and essentially invented the coconut-flavored rum category as a global phenomenon. The formula has remained essentially unchanged since launch: Caribbean rum, sweetened and flavored with natural coconut, bottled at 21% ABV for effortless mixing. The result is the definitive beach drink the rum that turned the Pia Colada into a household cocktail and put coconut rum on back bars around the world.

The base rum is aged two years in oak barrels before coconut flavor and sugar are added, giving the spirit a rounded sweetness that goes beyond simple syrup. At 21% ABV, Malibu is designed exclusively for cocktails the proof level makes it an ideal mixer in fruit-forward drinks where balance matters more than intensity. The original is the best-selling expression in a range that now spans pineapple, mango, strawberry, passion fruit, and watermelon, but the coconut original remains the foundation and the benchmark of the style.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Sweet coconut with light Caribbean rum character. Vanilla and a hint of toasted sweetness.
• Palate: Smooth, sweet, and approachable. Coconut leads with light rum warmth and vanilla sweetness. Easy-drinking and light-bodied at 21% ABV.
• Finish: Clean and lightly sweet. Coconut and vanilla linger briefly before a clean close.

Specs

• Origin: Barbados, Caribbean
• Style: Coconut-Flavored Caribbean Rum Liqueur
• Base: 2-year oak-aged Caribbean rum + natural coconut flavor
• ABV: 21% (42 Proof)
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What does Malibu Original taste like? Sweet coconut on the nose with light vanilla. Smooth, sweet, and easy-drinking on the palate with coconut and vanilla. Clean, briefly sweet finish.
• What is Malibu best used for? The Pia Colada is the classic application the drink Malibu was originally designed for. Also excellent in a Malibu Sunrise (with orange juice and grenadine), mixed with cranberry juice, cola, or pineapple juice. The 21% ABV makes it ideal as a mixer rather than a neat sipper.
• Why is Malibu only 21% ABV? The low ABV is by design it makes Malibu exceptionally easy to mix in tropical cocktails without overwhelming the fruit flavors of other ingredients. The sweetness and coconut character work best at this proof level in a balanced drink.
• Is Malibu a rum or a liqueur? Technically both it is a rum-based coconut liqueur. The base is Caribbean rum, but the addition of natural coconut flavor and sugar at 21% ABV classifies it as a flavored liqueur in most markets rather than a straight rum.
• What cocktails can I make with Malibu? Pia Colada, Malibu Sunrise, Malibu and Cola, Bay Breeze (with cranberry and pineapple juice), Miami Vice (half Pia Colada, half Strawberry Daiquiri), or simply over ice with pineapple juice.

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