Jamaal Bowen, lead mixologist for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, is bringing local ingredients and unexpected flavour combinations to this year’s cocktail programme. Festival guests can sample the creations at Rise and Rum on 7 November and Liquid Gold Feast on 8 November.

The festival’s mystery-basket challenge assigned each participating mixologist two ingredients at random—one for each event. Moringa, tamarind, grapefruit, rosemary, cucumber, soursop and mauby bark were among the possibilities. The goal, Bowen says, was to push mixologists beyond their usual choices and show how creatively Barbados’ produce and products can be used.

Linseed proved a surprise for newcomers Rohan Broomes and Orwin Findlay. Broomes, who will mix at Rise and Rum, is pairing it with fruit, warming spice and vanilla. Findlay, appearing at Liquid Gold Feast, is taking a more savoury direction with notes of sweet spice.

Bowen says the process begins by finding flavours that complement the assigned ingredient, then deciding what character the finished cocktail should have. The result needs to be original, he says, but still inviting enough to make guests want another taste.

One cocktail to look out for at Liquid Gold Feast is Natasha Jules’s A Lil Thing. It combines Mount Gay Silver Rum with locally made Kaiso Carambola Liqueur, green mango, cinnamon, Claytons Kola Tonic and lime. Carambola—known locally as five finger—brings sweetness, while green mango adds tartness and cinnamon gives the drink warmth.

Bowen describes a fragrant aroma, with kola tonic and lime evoking Bajan ackee. He says the rum’s fruit and cane notes carry through to a creamy finish without overpowering the other ingredients.

The festival’s wider cocktail lineup draws on ingredients including hog plum, pumpkin, bell peppers and jamoon. These will appear in forms such as juices, purées, infused syrups and garnishes. Bowen sees potential to make greater use of familiar local produce, and points to opportunities for farmers and processors to develop juices and concentrates that bars can use beyond harvest time.

Rise and Rum, a breakfast beach party themed around Bridgetown early on a Saturday morning, begins at 4 a.m. on 7 November at Copacabana on Bay Street. Liquid Gold Feast takes place on 8 November at CARIFESTA House in Waterford, with the theme “These Fields and Hills” highlighting local ingredients and the people who bring them to the table.

Tickets are priced at BBD $250 for Rise and Rum and BBD $350 for Liquid Gold Feast, and are available through Ticketnation and official box offices.