Spicy Piña Colada

The piña colada has spent forty years being the drink people order when they have stopped taking the evening seriously. The Spicy Colada keeps that exactly as it is — coconut cream, pineapple, plenty of ice — and then puts something underneath it that the original never had.

Blended, it pours thick and pale and tastes like the classic for the first two seconds. Coconut, ripe pineapple, a squeeze of lime cutting the richness. Then the habanero in the Mango Habanero liqueur arrives, warm rather than sharp, and the fat of the coconut cream catches it and holds it. Nothing burns. The heat just sits there at the back, and the next sip tastes brighter because of it.

Blend it with a generous handful of ice — you want it properly frozen, because cold keeps the sweetness in check. Serve in a chilled glass with a slice of pineapple and, if you have them, a few fresh mango chunks. Want more heat? Add a centilitre of liqueur rather than reaching for chilli; the drink is built around that balance and it tips easily.