The Best Store-Bought Piña Colada Mix Is Also The Most Expensive We Tried

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Sipping tropical cocktails on a white sandy beach isn't always possible. Luckily, you can harness that chill yet festive summery energy with tropical mixes. And what could epitomize island energy better than a piña colada? Many brands offer mixes for this sweet, rich, fruity cocktail that need little more than rum and ice to enjoy. We tasted and ranked 6 piña colada mixes on the merits of texture, the balance between coconut and pineapple flavors, sweetness, and aftertaste.

According to our ranking, the best store-bought piña colada mix was also the most expensive we tried. The number one spot went to Lava Coco piña colada mix, and it was well worth the high price tag. Lava Coco was the closest to fresh as you can get from a bottled mix. The consistency was creamy and indulgent without being heavy or thick. Blending it with ice makes for the absolute perfect creamy frozen texture for a refreshing cocktail. However, the flavor was what really landed Lava Coco in first place. Not only was there a balanced sweetness, but the coconut and pineapple notes were equally robust and identifiable. The mix managed to let the sweetness bring out the fruity, tangy flavors of the pineapple and nutty richness of the coconut in equal measures, making for a complex and delectable sip. The balance of coconut and pineapple lingered after each gulp, leaving an enticing aftertaste that made us want to go back for more and more.

Reviews for Lava Coco Piña Colada Mix on Amazon were as glowing as our own. One customer proclaimed, "This is a premium, restaurant-quality or better piña colada mix...It is an investment, but short of making your own recipe, it is excellent." While tropical cocktails are infamous for being cloyingly sweet, another customer said the Lava Coco mix offered the "perfect sweetness, can taste the coconut [viscosity]." It may be expensive, but you won't find another mix with the same balance of sweetness and fruit flavors.

Piña colada mixes are ready to serve, and all you need to add is rum. Not just any rum will do, so we consulted an expert on the best rum for piña coladas, encompassing a broad range of different artisanal, light, dark, and blended rums. Of course, the original piña colada rum is Don Q Gold, a light, bright rum. Another expert recommends swapping Don Q Gold for the aged Gran Reserva 7 for a bolder rum flavor with notes of tobacco and dried fruit. 

As for food pairings, a piña colada would work well with zesty, spicy dishes that you'd find on Caribbean islands. Jerk chicken with its hot spices will cut through the richness of a creamy coconut drink, as will zesty fish tacos. Bring out the pineapple flavors by enjoying a piña colada with chips and pineapple salsa, or the coconut notes with coconut shrimp.