National Coquito Day
It's the festive elixir that brings a warm embrace to your taste buds with every sip. A holiday in a glass!
Drive holiday season rum and premium spirit sales by positioning Coquito as an authentic Puerto Rican tradition and gift-giving moment in early December.
- Share family Coquito recipes and variations (chocolate, almond, pistachio) to inspire DIY gifting
- Highlight DON Q rum and premium spirit brands as the foundation for homemade Coquito batches
- Feature festive serving ideas: cinnamon-rimmed shot glasses and gift-wrapped bottles as holiday presents
- Celebrate Puerto Rican heritage and cultural storytelling around the drink's 1900s origins and cookbook legacy
Campaign ideas8
- Host a 'Coquito Competition' for home bartenders—invite customers to submit recipes, judge winners, and showcase finalists in-store or via livestream with prizes (gift cards, featured bottles, or trips).
- Launch a gift-with-purchase bundle: buy rum or coquito mixes, receive complementary artisan cinnamon sticks, recipe cards, or limited-edition holiday bottles for gifting.
- Create limited-edition Coquito menu placements at partner bars and restaurants—bartenders craft unique spiced/flavored variations; drive bar foot traffic with education cards explaining each twist.
- Run a user-generated content campaign: #MyFamilyCoquito—ask customers to share family recipes, traditions, or prep videos; repost best submissions and reward participants with branded merchandise or discounts.
- Sponsor or partner with the National Coquito Festival (held in Chicago) or similar events; set up tasting booths, host mixology demos, and drive awareness among diaspora communities.
- Email/SMS drip campaign starting Nov 15—share authentic recipes, prep timelines, rum pairing tips, holiday party hosting ideas, and bundle deals exclusive to subscribers by Dec 21.
- Create a 'Coquito Gift Guide' blog post or social content featuring pairing ideas (rum brands, artisan ingredients, serving ware), links to products, and affiliate/conversion opportunities.
- Launch a TikTok/Instagram Reel series showing quick recipe variations (Nutella Coquito, pistachio, spiced coffee, vegan)—encourage shares with a hashtag contest and monthly creator features.
Social angles6
- Heritage storytelling: 'Our family recipe has been passed down for 3 generations. What's yours?' Invite UGC of family traditions with warm, nostalgic visuals. #MyFamilyCoquito #CoquitoDay
- Flavor innovation angle: 'This year, we're breaking the rules.' Showcase bold flavor twists (chocolate coquito, coffee, pistachio) positioning your brand as tradition-honoring but modern. #CoquitoReimagined
- Gifting & connection: 'Coquito is love in a bottle.' Position it as the perfect holiday gift—emphasize sharing, togetherness, and expressing love through homemade or premium options. #CoquitoGiftSeason
- How-to/educational content: 'Never made coquito before? We've got you.' Step-by-step recipe videos, ingredient breakdowns, storage tips, and pairing suggestions—build authority as a coquito resource.
- Celebration moment: 'December 21 is OUR day.' Create countdown posts, call-outs to diaspora communities, and event/party inspiration tied to the official date. #NationalCoquitoDay #Dec21
- Cultural pride: Highlight Puerto Rican heritage, family bonds, and the diaspora keeping traditions alive globally. Use bilingual captions (Spanish/English) and celebrate contributors' stories. #PuertoRicanPride #CoquitoTradition
Ad copy starters6
“Your great-grandmother's recipe deserves to shine. Share your coquito tradition with us. #MyFamilyCoquito”
“December 21 is National Coquito Day—because one day isn't enough for Puerto Rico's favorite holiday drink.”
“Creamy. Spiced. Made with pride. Raise a glass to traditions that warm more than just your belly.”
“First time making coquito? We'll walk you through it. Plus exclusive Dec 21 discounts inside.”
“This holiday, give the gift that says 'I know you.' Premium coquito blends, ready to share.”
“Skip eggnog. Go tropical. Coconut. Rum. Spice. Coquito season is here.”
Tips5
- DO: Start campaigns in early November (6-8 weeks before Dec 21) to drive awareness and build anticipation. Coquito must be made 2-3 days in advance, so early messaging helps with prep planning.
- DON'T: Assume non-Puerto Ricans know what coquito is—include cultural context, comparisons to eggnog, and educational 'why this drink matters' framing to expand beyond the diaspora.
- DO: Emphasize gifting, sharing, and togetherness—coquito is a social drink tied to family and holidays. Position your brand as the enabler of connection, not just a product seller.
- DON'T: Ignore bartender & hospitality partnerships. Professional coquito placements (especially in Nov–Jan) drive trial, prestige, and word-of-mouth among influencers and foodies.
- DO: Use authentic community voices and user-generated content—diaspora communities trust peer recommendations over brand messaging. Run hashtag contests and feature real customers prominently.
National Coquito Day was started in 2018 by Destileria Serralles, the company that makes DON Q®, a leading brand of rum in Puerto Rico. But the drink itself has a more historic origin.
The exact origins of Coquito can be debated, but it is generally believed that the first-ever version of the Coquito drink and the same one that we enjoy today, was made in the early 1900s, becoming famous between 1950 and 1970 thanks to being published in several leading Puerto Rican cookbooks including Cocine a Gusto and The Puerto Rican Cookbook.
Over the years as more people tried Coquito, news of its delicious and tropical taste spread, until today where it can be enjoyed all over the world.
As to what led to the invention of the modern Coquito, some people think that it was originally introduced to Puerto Rico by the Spanish during the colonial era, with Puerto Rican rum eventually replacing Caribbean Rum and tropical coconut being added to the recipe to give it an island flavor.
Whatever the original origins of Coquito, one thing’s for sure – it’s delicious – and we take our hat off to whoever is responsible for its creation.
Enjoy and Share Coquito
Whether you’ve never tasted the delights of Coquito before or have had a recipe in your family for generations, National Coquito Day marks the perfect time to enjoy this holiday beverage before the major days of the holiday season begin. Serve it up cold in a shot glass and dust the rim with cinnamon for a traditional Coquito experience, and don’t forget to share it far and wide with your family and friends in the holiday spirit.
Get Creative with Coquito
Let the tropical coconut taste transport you to the sunny island and the Puerto Rican rum warm your cockles and take a moment to appreciate this special drink. If coconut isn’t to your liking, then why not try chocolate, almond, or pistachio which are all evolutions of the traditional coconut flavored Coquito, and for children or those abstaining from alcohol then the rum can be omitted for a deliciously creamy alternative.
Give the Gift of Coquito
Another great way to celebrate National Coquito Day is to prepare a fresh batch that you can then share with your family and friends in just a few day’s time, which usually ends up landing on Christmas Day. Tie a ribbon around the top, write on the label that it was made with love, and share a little piece of Puerto Rican history with your family.
Learn How to Make Coquito
If you were to ask three different Puerto Rican families how to make Coquito, you will probably be given three different recipes by each of them, because as a home-made drink, most families have their own secret recipes that they have handed down through their generations. There are many recipes for Coquito to follow online and it always calls for four key ingredients, milk, cream of coconut, condensed milk, and Puerto Rican Rum, such as DON Q® or PALO VIEJO®. Although you can technically use any brand of rum in a Coquito recipe, you should really try to make it with a traditional Puerto Rican rum for the most authentic taste. Coquito can even be recreated without dairy altogether, making it suitable for vegans – if there’s a will, there’s a way, so don’t let the traditional ingredients of this beverage put you off trying to make it. Once you’ve settled on a recipe that takes your fancy, simply add all the ingredients to a blender, blitz to combine et-voila – a Coquito is born! For the best Coquito, make up the batch in advance with your family, fill it with love, and then refrigerate it in the fridge for at least 4 hours but ideally for up to 3 days. Chilling the Coquito batch before serving allows the flavors to mingle and the taste to develop and you’ll have a thicker and taster drink by the end of it.